


I Think We Might Be Cursed

by WhoAteThePixies



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-02
Updated: 2013-12-08
Packaged: 2017-11-27 22:17:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/667083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhoAteThePixies/pseuds/WhoAteThePixies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: When Hook and Emma get back to Storybrooke, they are secretly having an affair (think Graham/Regina style)…only every time they hook up, someone almost catches them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Forest

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Don't Own, Don't Sue.
> 
> A/N: This is based on this prompt from fyesemmaandhook: When Hook and Emma get back to Storybrooke, they are secretly having an affair (think Graham/Regina style)…only every time they hook up, someone almost catches them. This first chapter deviates slightly from the prompt. A huge thanks to The Flying Poppy for betaing this.

Killian stood across from Emma with a self-satisfied grin on his face. His hook was looped securely around her wrist, preventing her from fleeing. The Swan girl glared back at him defiantly. They both knew that he wasn't about to let her go, not again. Not after it had taken him so much effort to get back to her in the first place...

xxx

After ten hours of captivity and a long climb back down the beanstalk, the last thing Hook wanted to find was Cora waiting for him. He tried to use his skills as a liar to deceive her, but it was useless. She saw straight through his attempts to charm and trick her. They both knew that he'd chosen the Swan girl. Cora left him - his heart thankfully still in his chest - with the promise that his thirst for revenge would go unquenched.

In that moment, he decided that he would once again choose Emma. Despite the fact that she'd left him chained in a giant's lair, Emma was still far safer company than a woman who habitually ripped out the hearts of anyone who crossed her in the slightest.

All Killian had to do was find a way to get back into her good graces. To make her trust him. Or, at the very least, agree to not leave him behind again. It seemed to be an entirely hopeless situation, but Killian Jones loved a good challenge, and the Swan girl was nothing if not a challenge.

When he discovered that Cora's gaggle of animated corpses had successfully snagged a princess, Killian saw the perfect opportunity to gain the favour of the group of lovely ladies. It took Hook longer than he had hoped to infiltrate Cora's prison, and wake the sleeping princess. It took even longer to convince her that he was telling the truth when he told her of his plans, but she eventually accepted his plan, and escaped into the forest. He followed her from a safe distance as she led him back to the rest of her group like a good little girl.

From his hiding place, he'd had the perfect view of Emma's shocked face as the sleepy one told her who'd saved her, and why. His grin only widened when he heard the lovelies arguing about whether they should let him rejoin them or not. It wasn't the first time that Killian had women fighting over him, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

He finally managed to secure his return to their merry band when he leapt to their aid against another zombie attack. As he fought the oncoming horde, he had found himself back to back with Swan, as three attackers slowly circled them. In spite of the danger they faced, Killian couldn't resist reminding Emma what a fabulous team they made.

"When are you going to admit, darling, that you just couldn't cope without me?" He gave her a flirtatious wink, before he lunged forward and decapitated the closest corpse.

When the fighting was over, Emma quickly encouraged everyone to start moving again. She'd only taken a few steps before she looked back over her shoulder at him.

"Well? Are you coming or not?" She demanded with annoyance. She continued walking before he'd had a chance to reply.

"Don't worry, love. I'm not letting you out of my sight again," He promised, as he smiled broadly at her retreating form. He swept his eyes up and down her back, enjoying the view as she strode on ahead of him, before he jogged to catch up. As they made their way through the forest, Killian took great care to ignore her mother's warning glares and huffing noises.

When they'd found a place to make camp for the night, Emma quickly volunteered to take first watch. As he lay on the ground and feigned sleep, Killian waited patiently for the opportune moment to get her alone. When he was sure that the others would neither awaken nor would disturb them, he silently crept towards her.

As she surveyed the forest, Emma took the time to consider her options when it came to certain maybe-not-entirely-untrustworthy pirate. She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she didn't realize the scoundrel was sneaking up on her, until she caught a glimpse of something moving out of the corner of her eye. She spun around swiftly, sword raised and heart pounding, only to find herself face to face with a jovial pirate. Said pirate was currently laughing at her expense. He'd smartly caught her blade in his hook as she'd swung it wildly; not bothering in her startled state to assess whom her attacker was.

"Careful darling," He warned with a playful chuckle, "Otherwise I'm might start thinking that your constant aggression towards me is just as way to deal with your obvious pent-up desire."

She rolled her eyes as he gave her a filthy wink, and pushed his hook away with a little more force than necessary. When her sword was once again safely sheathed, she looked back at him and tried to hide the fact that his nearness bothered her. Emma was convinced that her disdain for his company was a natural reaction to him being a smug bastard, and a pirate. She refused to acknowledge that it might be caused by something else entirely.

"What do you want, Hook?" She asked him, carefully modulating her tone to sound as bored as possible. She spotted a slight twinge of annoyance on his face, as she had used his more "colourful" moniker, as he liked to call it. Emma would rather think of him as Hook; it was a much safer option than Killian.

Any trace that she'd irked him was quickly smothered with a mischievous smirk. He took a step closer, and his smirk widened when she retreated a step.

"What I want, Swan, is for you to swear that you're not going to betray me again," He stated as he slowly encroached into her personal space. His smugness only grew when she stopped retreating, and instead stood her ground. "I want you to swear that you're going to take me back to the charming, little town of Storybrooke with you."

"We already-" She began quickly, as her resolve gave way and the instinct to flee kicked in. Her words and her movements were cut short when he caught her wrist with his hook and pulled her closer to him… and further away from the safety of the other women.

"Tsk tsk," Hook reprimanded Emma as if she were a misbehaving child. "Not we, darling. You." He was standing dangerously close to her, and she could see his eyes glowering in the dark. "We did not leave me at the top of the beanstalk. We did not chain me up in the same room as a giant. I don't need reassurances from we, only you, darling"

As Killian emphasized each 'we', he took a step backwards, and pulled her against him roughly. She couldn't break free of his hold without hurting herself. Emma felt the sharpness of steel against her wrist, but not the sting of broken skin. Memories of the last time he held her like this suddenly danced unbidden through her mind. The cool metal against her flesh, the unexpected bite of the rum, the soft scarf wrapping around her palm, the ghost of his lips against her skin as he gently tightened the scarf with his teeth. He'd gazed up at her with smouldering eyes as he'd attentively tended to her wound. That look was back on his face again, alongside his mounting frustration towards her. The fingers of her healing hand curled against her palm, as if trying to catch the previous memories and keep them within the safety of her grip. A smirk slowly crept across his face, and he looked at her like he knew exactly what she was thinking of.

"I," She began; desperate to break the silence, although she stopped when her heard how husky her voice sounded. The damn pirate's smirk only widened further. Emma quickly cleared her throat. "I swear that if you help us to open the portal, then you can come with us-"

"With me," He corrected.

"Fine. You can come back with me to Storybrooke."

Killian eased her wrist closer until her palm was pressed against his chest. His triumphant smile emphasised the small victory he'd won by her admission. Emma hated him for that. Hated that he'd gotten what he wanted, and still refused to let her go. Hated that he had bested her. She especially hated how much pleasure he got from invading her personal space.

"Now, darling, I think that this would be the appropriate time for us to seal our bargain with a little ki-"

But his words died as her lips crashed against his. Emma didn't know what possessed her to do it. The back of her mind desperately searched for a suitable excuse, but the best it could come up with was the adrenaline caused by the last zombie attack. Which had happen over five hours ago, but she wouldn't admit that it was something else. Something… more. All these thoughts were promptly obliterated when Killian recovered from his initial shock, and kissed her back with equal fervour. Just as abruptly as he'd started, Killian pulled back, leaving her lips swollen and red. Being who he is, he opened his mouth to make a smart quip.

"God, don't ruin this by talking," Emma snapped, as the hand on his chest tightly grabbed his shirt, whilst her free hand tangled in his hair and pressed against the back of his skull. She roughly pulled him back into a kiss.

Killian answered her with bruising force; the pleasure of their contact stirred in him an equally strong desire to punish her for her earlier abandonment. This desire soon left him, as Emma moaned softly when he bit down on her bottom lip. Killian took the opportunity to sweep his tongue into her mouth, and the only desire he was left with was to hear her moan again. His hook was still around her wrist and, along with the arm he'd wrapped around her waist; he used the leverage he had to spin them around and press her against the nearest tree.

He freed his hand and smoothed it across her abdomen, then slid it under her top. His lips slowly trailed from her mouth as he gently peppered kisses along her jaw line before he bit down on the sensitive flesh where her shoulder and neck met. Emma barely managed to suppress a groan as she moved her head to one side to give him better access. She shivered as he ran his fingertips along her ribcage until they met the edge of her bra.

Killian inspected the odd garment with his hand, and she could almost feel the confusion on his face against the skin of her neck. Emma began to laugh when the pirate let out a muffled curse of frustration as he continued to battle with her bra. Her laughter was immediately silenced when Hook deftly pulled the cup down and Emma felt the cool metal of his hook running roughly across her nipple. He greedily swallowed her moans as his weathered finger pinched the sensitive bud, and gave it an experimental twist. His hook leisurely traced down her side until it rested against her hip.

Before Emma realized what was happening, Hook caught the edge of her shirt with his hook before he began to inch the material towards her head at a torturously slow pace. As Killian's lips journeyed down her neck, leaving Emma's skin ablaze, Killian wedged his leg between her own. Emma happily obliged him by widening her stance and she let out a heady groan as the weight of his thigh was pressed tightly against her aching core.

A twig snapped behind them in the dark.

In a flash, they'd untangled themselves from each other and grabbed their discarded weapons. Side by side, they pointed their swords in the direction that the sound had come from. The bush in front of them shuffled a minute before threat emerged.

For a split second, the rabbit remained frozen, staring at the two sword-wielding humans in terror. Then it quickly retreated back into the safety of the under grove before it became dinner. An uncertain moment passed between the pair, before they both broke out in laughter. As their laughter subsided, Killian took a moment to appreciate his handiwork; Emma's face was flushed, her lips swollen from the force of his kisses. Her hair and clothes had a distinctive rumpled look left by lustful hands. But her eyes are what really caught his attention. They were wide and dark, filled with both mirth and passion. He gave her a salacious smile, knowing that his eyes were just as dark with desire as hers.

"Now where were we, darling?" He asked with an enticing glint in his eyes, as his tried to close his arms back around her.

Emma put both hands on his chest, and gently pushed him away.

"I'm going back to watching, and you're going back to bed," she stated firmly, but began to blush as he waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively. "You know what I mean. Go."

Killian sighed dramatically, and paused to whisper, "Until next time, Swan".

With immense satisfaction, he noticed her slight shiver at his words and impulsively planted a hot, wet kiss beside her ear. Killian sauntered away with smug contentment; he'd always known that the Swan girl wanted him. It had taken her longer than he'd expected to admit it, by now that he'd had proof, there would be no stopping the inevitable. He would have her.

Killian strolled past the sleeping women, and into the bushes on the other side of their camp. There wasn't a chance of sleep, unless he relieved the tension of his arousal first. As he unlaced his trousers with a well-practised hand, he wondered for a moment if Emma was doing the same thing. He grinned at this most alluring thought, and let it aid him with his task.


	2. The Boat

As Killian's mind drifted back towards the conscious world, he was almost overwhelmed by pain. He swore under his breath, as his hand grabbed his skull in a futile attempt to stop the agony. His whole head felt like it had been split in two. Given what he could remember before the darkness, that very well might be the case. He felt a wave of nausea beginning to bubble up inside, as he recalled the way Cora had easily flung him away with her magic when he'd desperately rushed towards her. The last thing Killian could remember, with sickening clarity, was the witch's arm being buried deep within Emma's chest.

"Good you're awake."

The familiar voice came from somewhere to his right. He noted an edge of concern lacing her voice that had never been directed at him before. It took all of his strength to battle the pain as he forced his eyes to open, but his efforts were rewarded by sight of a very blurry Swan at his side. With her heart still intact. He blinked a few times to clear the haziness from his vision. His eyes swept over her troubled face and then the strange new room, carefully taking in every detail. He stopped abruptly when his mind registered a shocking new bit of information.

"Where are my clothes, love?" He asked, as he eyed the blue shirt he was now wearing. He shuffled his legs slightly, and confirmed they were also covered with the same material.

Emma chuckled at his obvious astonishment. "And observant, too. Looks like that blow to the head didn't do too much damage."

"We're in Storybrooke." It was more of a statement than a question, but she nodded anyway. A grin spread across his face as something finally occurred to him. "And you carried my unconscious body all the way back with you?"

She shuffled in her seat and refused to meet his telling gaze. "We had a deal. You helped us to open the portal, so we brought you back to Storybrooke."

"You," Killian corrected before he could stop himself. "You brought me back." He wiggled his eyebrows at her in a suggestive manner when he caught her eye. "Did you reward yourself by having a long, hard look when you changed me?"

"Don't flatter yourself. David – um... you probably know him as Prince Charming and he's also, well, my father - was the one who changed you," she stammered slightly towards the end, as her conflicted mind was still trying to determine who David was to her now.

His lips scrunched up into a small pout. "Well that's a much less pleasing image."

Gingerly, he raised his hand to his head and ran his finger tips along the wound on the back of his skull. He counted seven stitches in total holding the flesh together. "What happened back there?"

"We managed to defeat Cora and then me, you and Mary Margaret went through the portal. Mulan and Aurora... decided to stay behind. They're planning to find a way to save their prince."

They both knew she was holding something back, but Killian could tell from the way her jaw tightened that this wasn't the right moment to push. "Is Cora dead?"

"No."

"Let's hope then, darling, that she doesn't find another way through. No one wants to deal with a witch that's so royally pissed off." He watched her shudder at the thought and he couldn't help but share her apprehension. If Cora ever made it through, she would be gunning for everyone.

A silence settled between them. Killian tried to focus his attention on Emma, and away from the dulling ache in his brain. She shifted uneasily under his gaze and Killian detected a hint of guilt and trepidation as she bit her lip. "There's something I need to tell you," she started slowly, trying to draw out the moment for as long as she could. "It's about Gold."

"Gold?"

"I mean, ah, Rumpelstiltskin. He's called Mr. Gold here," she corrected quickly, and then hesitated again.

"And what do you need to tell me about Rumpelstiltskin?" He asked through gritted teeth, as he tried to remain in control of his rising anger.

Emma studied him wearily before she answered: "He has magic here."

"Rumpelstiltskin has magic in a land which supposedly has no magic," Hook repeated with the first hints of his fury seeping into his tone. Emma managed to force herself to nod; she actually felt afraid of him for the very first time. "And you didn't think to tell me this before because?"

Emma could only stare at him with wide eyes. She had no excuse that would satisfy him. As his hand curled tighter into a fist, she was grateful for her mother's foresight when she had removed his hook. All Emma wanted to do was say something to calm him, but she didn't have the right words. She wanted to touch him, comfort him, but she was afraid that he would lash out.

"You need to go, lass," he murmured dangerously. When she failed to move, he glared directly at her and let his rage lose. "NOW!"

Emma didn't need any more encouragement to leave the room and safely shut the door behind her. She leant against the wood, as she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. She heard the thump as he hit the floor, followed by another louder thud and an agonising scream of rage.

xxx

They didn't speak for the next three days.

Every time she saw him, Emma felt herself choke on all the words she was unable to say. Killian, on the other hand, had slumped into a deep depression. He barely moved from his spot on her bedroom floor, or acknowledged her when she brought him food. Emma wondered if his revenge was the only thing that had kept him going for last three hundred years. Her parents continually tried to discuss the 'Hook situation' with her, and formulate a plan to resolve it, but she just brushed their concerns aside.

"He'll be fine," she kept insisting over and over again. "He's a survivor, and he's still got his life. That's all that matters. Sooner or later, he'll be fine. You just need to be patient."

She kept repeating this mantra to herself ever time she stood and stared at him through the crack in the door. She repeated it more forcefully whenever she got the unfamiliar urge to try and save him.

Then one afternoon, she came home after shopping to hear laughter coming from her room. She placed the bags down on the floor and cautiously made her way towards the noise. When she reached the doorway, she was greeted by the sight of her son and Hook sitting side by side on her bed and laughing. As if he sensing her presence, Killian suddenly looked; there was a smile on his face and the mischievous glint she knew so well was back in his eyes.

"Hi mom," Henry greeted her when he noticed she was there. "Killian's been telling about his days as a pirate."

"I'm still a pirate, lad, and a Captain at that," Killian corrected him and ruffled his hair in an affectionate way. His grin widened when Emma smiled at the sight. She felt the immense swell of relief in her chest as she realised that he was finally back.

xxx

"Now let me get this straight, lass. Your father has commandeered me a ship?"

Emma rolled her eyes at the pirate, as they walked towards the harbour. "My father didn't commandeer anything. One of your old crew, Beaven, gave it to him."

Hook raised an eyebrow at this. "He gave it to him willing? My, it makes you wonder what Beaven has done, if he feels the need to buy my favour."

Emma just shrugged. "Maybe he's just doing a nice thing for you, because he likes you."

"I was his Captain, darling," Hook chuckled darkly, "No pirate likes their captain. They only respect and fear him."

Emma didn't attempt to argue with his logic. She noted the swagger was back in his step; Killian had only been in Storybrooke a week and he was already walking around like he owned the place. He had a duffle bag slung over his shoulder, filled with new clothing, and a bag of groceries hanging from his hook. Emma carried another bag, brimming with basic supplies. As they made their way through the harbour, Killian took his time to inspect each new vessel moored there. Finally, they reached the boat that Beaven had given his former Captain.

Emma climbed aboard and unlocked the sliding glass doors. Killian followed her inside and, after they'd placed the bags on the table, Emma set about showing him around his new home. The vessel was a decent size and would serve him nicely as a place to call his own. She knew that Killian was slowly coming to grips with all the new technology, even if he still eyed the gas stove with suspicion. Although she's grateful that her father had removed the microwave as instructed; the pirate had already made a life-long enemy with the one in her apartment and he would no doubt ram his hook into this one given the slightest provocation. It began to unnerve her how quiet he was, as he took in his new surrounds.

"You'll have to find someone else to show you how to sail this thing, because I don't have a clue," she told him and frowned when he only nodded in return.

The last space they had to enter was the bedroom at the bow.

"And finally," Emma said, gesturing to the room they'd just stepped into in an attempt to lighten the mood.

She felt rather than heard Killian move closer behind her, until she could feel the heat radiating off his body.

"I keep thinking about the night back in the forest. About what happened between us," he whispered as his hook gently pushed her hair to one side. "It's all I've been able to think about for days. Every time I sat across from you at the table, with your whole damn family there, I thought about being alone with you. About what would happen when there was no one else around."

With each word, his breath caressed her neck and his fingertips ghosted along the exposed skin. Emma felt her breath hitch and she heard him chuckle softly at the involuntary sound. She hated that she couldn't hide the effect he was having on her.

"Where you thinking about it too? The way I felt in your arms? The way I tasted on your tongue?" Killian asked. He placed a kiss against her ear, on the same spot he'd last kissed in the forest, and moved around to face her. The self-assured smirk was back on his face and there was a familiar glint of lust in his eyes. He watched with glee as she licked her lips, as if trying taste the anticipation in the air. "Oh I think you have, darling."

In one swift movement, he threaded his hook through a belt loop on her jeans and tugged her forward. Together, they landed with a thump on the bed. Emma was sprawled on top, whilst Killian lay happily beneath. Before he could act again, Emma placed her hands on his shoulders and put as much space between their bodies as she could without ripping her jeans.

"Killian," she warned and she pushed him harder into the bed when he tried to kiss her. "Killian, stop."

"I'm more than happy for you take charge here, love, if that's what you want," He told her eagerly and attempted to close the space between them again.

"That's not it," she sighed. "This, whatever this is, can't happen. It's too complicated here. I'm the Sherriff and you're a pirate who's only delayed he's revenge until he can find another way to 'skin his crocodile'."

Killian rolled his shoulders in order to loosen her hold, and quickly sat up. He roughly pulled her closer by the knees, until she was straddling his lap.

"It doesn't have to be complicated, darling. We can keep it very simple," Killian offered her, as twisted his hand in her hair and pressed his hook firmly against her back, effectively trapping her. When she offered no resistance, he began to trail his lips along her collar bone. "No one needs to know about this, whatever this is, and we can both get what we want."

"You want to be fuck buddies?" Emma asked with an astonished chuckle.

Killian looked up at her in confusion. "What?"

"Fuck buddies," she repeated, "It's what we call two people who have sex with each other without getting emotionally attached."

"You know, I'm really starting to love this world," he murmured happily as he lowered his mouth back to her neck.

"I guess it could work," Emma agreed with a moan, and unconsciously ground herself against him. She could feel his growing erection beginning to strain against the denim of his jeans. A triumphant smile spread across her face when she rolled her hips again and managed to elicit a needy groan from his lips.

He pulled her head forward and kissed her hard. Killian hadn't felt this desperate to have a woman since he first met Milah. They broke apart from the kiss with laboured breaths and Emma took advantage of the space by shrugging off her jacket and top. Killian ran his hand over the newly bared flesh, examining every detail with his touch, and his sight. His explorations were interrupted when Emma impatiently tugged at his shirt.

"You're wearing too many clothes." She stated and he laughed at her frankness.

"As are you, love." His skimmed his hand over her lace covered breasts and watched the way her pupils dilated further as she gasped. "Now how do I get this damn thing off?"

It was her turn to laugh, as she remembered the way he struggled the last time he'd come up against her bra. She clasped her hand over his, slowly trailed them across her chest and around to her back. Emma continued to stare into his darkening eyes, as she placed his hand against the clasp and guided his fingers until it came undone.

"See, it's not that hard to get off. Even if you only have one hand," she whispered as slowly slipped off the straps and tossed the garment to the floor.

Without breaking eye contact, Killian lowered his head and dragged his tongue across her nipple at a tortuously slow pace.

Suddenly there was a loud knock at the glass doors. The half-naked pair stared at each with the same panicked expression.

"Did you lock the door?" Emma demanded urgently.

Her question was answered by the light scrap of the sliding door being opened.

"Captain?" A nervous voice inquired from the entrance.

"Smee," Hook growled, as he and Emma quickly scrambled for their discarded clothing. He pulled his shirt back over his head and stormed back into the cabin.

The smile on the former shipmate's face suddenly turned to a look of fear when he saw Hook's glare. Hook was trying to decide a fitting punishment for Smee's interruption, when Emma patted him lightly on the back.

"We'll have that drink another time. You guys have fun catching up," she said, as she casually brushed past Smee and walked through the doors.

Killian stood there stunned by how pulled together she seemed. For a moment he'd wondered if he'd imagine what had just happened back in the bedroom, and then he spied the scrap of lace sticking out of her back pocket. He grinned as he watched her vanish from sight, before he turned to the anxious man standing next to him.

"Tell me, Smee," he asked through gritted teeth, "What was so bloody important that it couldn't wait?"


	3. The Garden

Emma snuck into the garden and silently slid the patio door closed behind her.

As the cool night air brushed against her skin, Emma felt like she could finally breathe again. She'd been dreading this house party from the moment that David and Mary Margaret had purchased their 1960's suburban dream, complete with a manicured garden and white picket fence. Even though no one had directly said so, Emma knew that the whole evening was her unofficial outing into Storybrooke society as Princess Emma, daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. The second she'd stepped through the door with Henry, wearing the pale-blue silk dress and white shawl that her mother had 'helped' her choose, Emma's mind had been screaming at her to run. Instead she'd plastered a smile on her face and ensured she'd always had a drink in her hand as she mingled.

As the night wore on, her jaw had started to ache from forcing a smile, and the urge to escape had grown increasingly stronger. She just needed a moment to compose herself. Where she wasn't expected to exchange pleasantries or be on her best behaviour. Where she free from people who kept telling her how lovely she looked and how wonderful it was that her family had finally found each other. Emma was  _this_  close to punching the next person who commented on the way the dress brought out the colour of her eyes when she'd slipped away before she did something that would humiliate her parents.

Emma wrapped the shawl tighter around her body and sighed. She knew that everyone, especially her parents, had only the best intentions at heart. She just wasn't used to having a family, let alone people having expectations about her because of who her parents are. Not once in her life had Emma Swan felt like a princess and she had a feeling that wasn't about to change anytime soon.

While Mary Margaret and David had been very understanding when she'd declined their offer to move in with them, she could see the disappointment in their eyes. They had finally found their daughter, but she was a woman who didn't know how to be anyone's child. Who didn't know how to be loved. Emma didn't know what it felt like to feel loved without the constant fear that she would lose it. That she would end up being abandoned again. Although her parents accepted her decision to stay in the flat, that didn't stop them from getting her to agree to breakfast and dinner with them at least three times a week. Manipulation always did work best when it was done by supposedly mild mannered, caring people with honest smiles.

Emma watched through the window as the party carried on merrily without her. She noted that Regina and Gold were still there. According to her parents, the pair of sorcerers had to be invited for political reasons. They had used the same rational when they'd casually mentioned that a certain Captain was not going to be invited, as they gave their daughter a very pointed look.

'As if I would want him here anyway,' Emma thought to herself, rolling her eyes at the memory.

After the boat incident, she'd been trying her best to avoid that certain Captain as much as possible. The further away she was from him, the easier it became to remember why any involvement with him was a monumentally bad idea. On the odd occasion that they had run into each other, Hook had acted like nothing had changed. He still teased her mercilessly, and most of his comments were inappropriately laced with sexual innuendos. He still flirted with her too, but in the same way that he flirted with every other woman in town. Killian Jones could even charm the largest slice of pie from Granny and, much to her dismay, Emma had heard the older women affectionately refer to him as a 'rogue' on more than one occasion. Her gratefulness for Killian's discretion was always twinged with a tiny bit of disappointment, which Emma chose to ignore. She wasn't anyone special to him; she was just someone that he wanted to bed.

His behaviour made her think that maybe they could get away with sleeping together, but Emma was quick to banish such thoughts. She was determined not the sleep with him. Every now and again, however, she caught him staring at her. He would always look at her with a knowing smile, like he could tell how many times she'd woken up with a flushed face and the familiar ache between her thighs, whilst the dreams of his fingers and lips faded away.

Emma wrote off her desire for the pirate as nothing more than an itch that she needed to scratch. Ever since she'd moved to Storybrooke, she'd been going through a dry spell. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem; she'd just go out to bar and find a suitable man who could satisfy her needs. But she knew how unadvisable a one-night stand was in such a small town, and that was before she'd discovered that it was filled with fairy tale characters. In a way, Hook was an obvious choice; he was an outsider and he'd clearly had experience when it came to satisfying his own purely physical needs.

Emma had experience with the whole 'no-strings-attached' thing and last time, it had not ended well. He'd been a fellow bounty hunter called Harvey, who she'd worked with from time to time. They'd made a really good team, both professionally and intimately, but then he'd managed to get shot when they were on a job together. After several hours in surgery, it was confirmed that the most damage the bullet done was to Harvey's pride. He'd been high as a kite on morphine when he'd looked up at Emma in wonder, lovingly took her hand and slurred a marriage proposal to her. In response, Emma had bolted from the room. They'd both tacitly agreed to ignore the fact that the proposal had ever occurred, but the damaged had been done. She'd cut him out of her life altogether when he'd accused her of using sex as a weapon. That it was just another way for her to be able to stay in control and keep people at an emotionally safe distance.

She knew that wouldn't happen with Hook. He'd been in love before, and a man who was so in love with one woman that he thought of nothing but avenging her, was not a man who was ready to let another woman into his heart. If he had much of a heart left once he'd gotten his revenge. Emma had seen hints that there may be something resembling a good person inside of him, but he was far too ready to ignore what little conscious he still had and let his obsession for killing Rumpelstiltskin dictate his actions. That was precisely why Emma couldn't trust him. That was precisely why sleeping with him would not end well, not matter how hard that annoying little voice of desire tried to convince her otherwise. That it would be a win-win situation for everyone; that she would get him out of her system and he would lose interest in her once he'd had her.

Without intending to, Emma had walked all the way to the back of the garden. A grand old tree stood proudly on her left, and beyond it was the neat row of hedges that marked the boundaries to the property. The light from the house did very little to disperse the darkness down here. She'd just decided to take one last moment to enjoy the stillness of the night before she headed back inside, when someone grabbed her. Her back was shoved roughly against the large trunk and a hand was placed tightly over her mouth to muffle her screams.

"It's about bloody time," An all too familiar voice came from the dark.

"Hook?" Emma mumbled against his palm, before she swiftly pushed his hand away. As her eyes grew more accustomed to the dim light, she began to make out his features more clearly. She was fairly certain that he could see the confused glare on her face. Although he paid no attention to it as he slowly caressed her face with the back of his hand. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I thought that was fairly obvious, darling. But if you need a further demonstration..." He let his words trails off, as he began to leisurely kiss her neck. Killian ran his hand slowly down her body, until he reached the edge of her dress. The skirt stopped just above her knee and he seemed quite content just to run his fingers along the line where the material met her flesh. "And to think I used to get excited when I caught a glimpse of a woman's ankles. You're idea of clothing here is enough to make any sane man loose his mind."

She reached down and curled her hand around his, but she didn't try to move it. His head cocked to one side as he gave her a curious look.

"My parents are inside," She reminded him and herself at the same time.

"I don't know about you, love, but that's exactly where I want them to be."

He curled his thumb around hers, trapping her hand against his own. Slowly, he moved their hands and watched her shiver as the two sets of fingertips gently eased her dress further up her thigh. All of reasons why this shouldn't happen, why she stop it right now, were rapidly deserting her mind. But Emma was determined to remain in control; to make sure that she effected him just as badly as he effected her.

She leaned forward and kissed him hard on the mouth. Before his hand was able to reach its intended destination, she'd already shoved her own down the front of his trousers. He gasped as she curled her hand around him, and gently caressed him from base to tip. His grip on her other hand had loosened enough that she was able to free it, and she used it to tackle his button and zipper.

"We're going to have to be quick," She pointed out, as she finally managed to undo his jeans.

"Emma," He hissed wistfully against her lips, eyes shut tightly with pleasure, as she freed him from the confines of the denim

All coherent sentences seemed to abandon him, as she continued to glide her hand along his shaft. With every stroke, she applied more pressure, gently tightening around him. She grinned widely as he let out another tortured groan. He was able to gather himself enough to reward her efforts with a searing kiss that she quickly took advantage of by sliding her tongue along his lips, and into his mouth. Emma could feel the ball of delightful warmth growing in the pit of her stomach as he twisted the edge of her dress even tighter, when suddenly something horrible occurred to her.

"Shit, I left my purse inside."

"And why would you need money a time like this?" Killian panted his inquiry.

"It's not the money I'm after, it's the condom."

"The  _what_?" he asked, as he bit down on his lip in an effort to concentrate.

"It's a very useful thing that people use to avoid pregnancies," She explained, whilst she continued to pump her hand up and down his length.

"You didn't seem too concerned about that back in the Enchanted Forest," He pointed out, trying his best to insert some smugness back into his tone and disguise the fact that he was coming undone at her touch.

Emma twisted her free hand into his hair and roughly pulled his head back. She couldn't help but notice the way he gasped lustfully at the action and this new discover put a smirk on her face. "As much as I love Henry, I'm not going to risk making the same mistake twice, especially when I have the means here to prevent it."

"Hell, love," He groaned, "You're bloody killing me here."

"I guess it would be cruel to just leave you like this," She stated nonchalantly, as she tightened her grip around him and increased the pace, gently rotating her palm every time she reached his head.

Emma recalled the way he'd always paid attention to her neck each time they'd been like this. She took a moment to slowly trail her lips against his neck, before biting down hard on the flesh. Her efforts were rewarded by another needy groan and a heady grin spread across her face. She'd almost forgotten how intoxicating it was to have this much power over a man. A feeling of triumph swelled inside of her as she watched him whither against her touch; it appeared that Emma had managed to best him yet again. She observed him closely, memorising every groan and every way his face twisted with pleasure. She wanted to remember exactly how she'd reduced the infamous Captain Hook to an incoherent mess.

"Emma?"

"Fuck!" Her hand stilled and she swore under her breath as she heard Mary Margret calling her name.

"Emma? Are you out here?" David's voice inquired this time.

Her hand was still curled around Killian's hard, hot member as she tried to figure out what to do next. He looked up at her with pleading eyes that were desperately begging her not to leave him like this. She could tell by the way his body began to tremble that he was close. It only took Emma a split second to make up her mind.

Hurriedly, she grabbed her shawl from her shoulders, scrunched the end up into a ball and thrust it against his mouth.

"Bite down on this," She ordered quietly, and he obediently complied.

As her hand continued its ministration, Emma half-listened the muffled moans of bliss Killian made as his head rested against the crook of her neck, and half-listened to her parents' footsteps and voices coming ever closer. Threading her fingers in his dark hair again, she yanked his head to one side and sucked on the sensitive skin covering his racing pulse. It was this final act that sent him over the edge; he bucked violently and spilled his seed into her hand with a long, muted groan.

Emma didn't waste any time as she tugged the shawl out of his mouth and used it to wipe her hand clean. She then placed the ruined material into his pocket and shoved the dazed pirate towards the bushes.

"Go," She hissed urgently, as he gazed at her in confused awe, with a stupidly blissful smile on his face. His pleasure addled took its time to remember the situation at hand, and Emma rolled her eyes as she pushed him away again. "Go now, before you have to deal with my parents."

Her last statement seemed to reach him and she watched him meander away into the hedgerow. Emma took a deep breath to calm her nerves, as she heard Mary Margret and David call her name again. As casually as possible, she strolled out from her hiding place behind the tree.

"There you are!" Mary Margret said with surprise. "What you doing out here? Didn't you hear us calling you?"

"Sorry. I just needed some fresh air. I was feeling a little overwhelmed in there," Emma answered sheepishly, and she felt a pinch of guilt at the look of sympathy on her parents' faces.

"Oh Emma."

"We know this whole situation must still be uncomfortable for you, but we're really, really glad that you're trying," David told her sincerely. "We're just so happy to have you back in our lives and we want to make you feel like you're a part of it. But if it's ever too much, if we're ever coming on too strong, just let us know, ok?"

"You can still talk to us, Emma," Mary Margret added, "Whatever you have to say, we'll understand."

'Oh I doubt that,' Emma thought to herself, trying to banish certain images of a trembling smug bastard from her mind.

She managed gave her earnest parents a small smile. "I know."

They both smiled brightly at her answer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Emma took care to place her busy hand behind her back and safely away from the pair, as they led her back to the house. She knew that she could get used to being a daughter, but Emma Swan knew that, no matter what happened, she would never feel like a princess... especially with the way she had been acting where a certain pirate was concerned.


	4. The Bedroom

Asides from his crocodile, Emma Swan might be one of the most perplexing challenges that Killian had ever faced.

When they'd first met, he'd thought that his ability to read her gave him the clear advantage. Her face had been an open book that he could browse at his leisure, despite her attempt to conceal it from him as she had done with the rest of the world. What he'd forgotten to look for was the subtext. When he'd discovered her ability to spot lies, he'd thought that honesty would be enough to put her at ease. He'd assumed that she would succumb to his charm, like so many of her sex had done before her. He'd thought that he had all the angles covered; that he could subtly manipulate her until he got what he wanted, just as he had done with everyone else. But when Emma had confessed that she'd been in love once, Hook had been so focused on the triumph of gaining her confession that he'd missed something very important. He'd failed to consider why she was still so full of mistrust. Why, if she'd let someone get that close before, she was still waiting for people to turn on her.

Last time, his overconfidence with the Swan Girl had left him abandoned on a beanstalk. This time, he was more determined than ever not to make the same mistakes again.

After their rather intimate garden encounter, Killian had expected Emma to keep her distance again. As if space alone would be enough to dissuade him from pursuing her. It would take a lot more than that to stop him; he was stubborn, patient and now, thanks to her skilful little hand, in her debt. And it was a debt that he would gladly repay. However, he'd woken the next morning to find a brown paper bag sitting on his deck. Curiously, he'd peaked inside to find a box of the aforementioned condoms. It was a gift that had clearly been left by Swan herself.

He took his time to study the instructions and inspect one of the strange rubber tubes. He had no idea how he was meant to get the damn thing on one-handed, let alone do it amidst the heats of passion. Then Killian remembered how good a teacher Emma had been when it came to removing her bra. With an eager smile, he placed a couple of the foil squares in his pocket and headed towards the station to be taught another lesson.

"Guess what I found waiting for me on my boat this morning, darling?" Killian asked cheerily, as he strode through the doorway into Emma's office.

Except it wasn't Emma who was sitting behind the desk; instead he was greet by her very displeased father. "I have no idea Hook. How about you tell me?"

"Ah, wrong law enforcer. My mistake. No need to worry about the little surprise I received – it was completely unrelated to any criminal activities," Hook stated with an extra charming smile, and quickly pointed towards the exit. "I'll just be on my way."

"Sit down, Hook," Charming ordered firmly. "It's about time that you and I had a talk."

Hook hesitated by the door. He didn't take orders from anyone and there was nothing that the prince could do to compel him to stay. However, he didn't think Emma would like to hear about how he'd been forced to fight her father for his freedom. Nor would she ever let him live it down if he just ran away. She would most likely make some snide comment about how the infamous Captain was afraid of her father; and there would be nothing he could say to persuade her that a strategic retreat was not the same as cowardice.

He plastered a pleasant, but forced smile onto his face and sat down in the chair in front of the desk, casually slinging his arm over the back. "To what do I owe the honour of this royal audience, your majesty?"

Charming's cloudy expression remained unchanged. "I want to discuss your plans for revenge against Rumpelstiltskin."

"Oh, do you have any tips?" Hook interjected sarcastically. His smirk widened as the prince's glare deepened.

"What I want to discuss is how it's not going to happen. Not when Gold is a citizen of this town and not when it affects the people that I care about," The prince stated calmly, but Hook had enough experience to notice the hint of a threat hidden in his tone.

"Rest assured, your highness, I'm only after my crocodile. And no one who really knows him is going to shed a tear for that monster," he bit back with a warning glare of his own.

However, Charming wouldn't be intimated and leaned forward on the desk. "Just how far are you willing to go to get your revenge, Hook? Because even though she might not want to, Emma will do everything in her power to do the right thing. And that means keeping every citizen of Storybrooke safe," he warned the increasingly aggravated pirate, "And I am willing to do whatever is necessary to keep my family safe."

Hook slowly rose from his seat before he did something stupid. Like put his hook against the pompous little royal's neck just to watch him squirm; perhaps he would use the tip of it to leave the man a small reminder of exactly who he was dealing with. Instead he stooped into a mocking bow. " _Charming_  as ever, your majesty, but now I will be on my way."

"Have you met Regina yet?" Charming's question and the knowing edge to his voice caused the captain to halt in the doorway. Although his back was turned, Hook imagined that the prince had a condescending look on his face. As if he knew anything – no matter what, the prince always got his loved ones back. "She got to live her revenge everyday for 28 years. And just look at how well that worked out for her."

Hook spun around, readying to unleash his mounting fury on the other man, but then he saw the look on the prince's face. It was a grim, pitying expression that Hook had seen before. It was the same look his daughter gave the pirate whenever he spoke about Rumpelstiltskin.

Without uttering a single word, Killian walked away.

xxx

For three centuries, Killian's life had been fairly straight forward. His world had been a black and white one, where everything could be divided into things that would help him achieve his revenge and things that would not. It had been simple. Everything he did, he did in order to avenge Milah. There had been no afterwards, no future that he could see beyond that.

Hook could no longer remember a time without the ever present rage coursing through his veins. When Milah lay dying in his arms, a vengeful voice had sworn to him that Rumpelstiltskin would be made to pay. As the years went by, Killian began to forget everything else; like Milah's touch, her scent and her beautiful face. He could no longer recall with any clarity the way she'd gazed at him, her eyes and her words so full of love, before the crocodile cruelly snatched her away. But Hook never forgot the blinding anger that he'd allowed to fester in his soul. It promised him a moment. It promised him satisfaction. It promised him revenge and it slowly cut out everything else from his world.

Then Emma Swan had appeared out of nowhere and threatened him with a knife.

With her arrival, the colours began the seep back into his world, along with all those annoying shades of grey. His niggling little conscience was gaining its voice again too, making him question exactly what he wanted. As was a tiny, hopeful voice that offered him a future ripe with possibilities. Hook had brushed them all aside, reminding himself that he only put up with the trying woman because she was the key to getting to Storybrooke. The place where he could finally have the thing he desired most. And if some more pleasurable activities were to occur during their time together, then who was he to deny them?

After several lifetimes of patience, Captain Hook finally arrived in Storybrooke only to find that his revenge was not even possible here. For three days, he'd sat on the floor in Emma's room a broken man. After losing Milah, it was his revenge that kept him going. It was his revenge that gave him a purpose. This supposed land without magic was his best chance of getting what he wanted, what he'd waited so long for, and it had betrayed him.

Then one afternoon Emma's son, Henry, had come waltzing into the room without any hesitation.

"Are you really Captain Hook? As in the Captain Hook?" He'd asked excitedly. Killian had eyed the boy wearily, and silently pointed to his wrist where his curved appendage was usually attached. The young lad, however, was undeterred. "What was it like to be a pirate?"

"A Captain, lad," Killian corrected automatically. He was slightly taken aback when he heard the words leave his mouth, but there was something about the eagerness in the boy's eyes that compelled him to speak again. "And who said I stopped being one?"

Soon tales of a life at sea were being told to a captivated audience of one. Killian noticed Emma's relief when she saw that he was back to his old self again. He also noticed the soft smile on her lips when he'd ruffled her son's hair. For once, when the tiny voice of hope promised him a future filled with new possibilities, Killian actually listened.

xxx

Killian knew that he was breaking their very vague rules about this - whatever this was - by allowing himself to feel something for Emma, but he really didn't care. He hadn't felt anything for another person in so long, and he wasn't about to stop now. The captain was well aware that he had a tendency towards obsession. Although he was sure that, in time, Emma would agree that it was better for everyone if his attentions were focused on her and away from thoughts of revenge.

It was his obsession that led him to climb on top of a trashcan at two o'clock in the morning. With a well trained eye, he assessed the distance between himself and the bottom step of the ladder. He stepped back a couple of paces, before he ran forward and leapt into the air. His hook curled around the metal bar with a dull clunk that echoed through the quiet night. He pulled himself up until he could grasp the bar with his hand and began his ascent up the fire escape.

It had been more than one lifetime since Killian had felt this alive, and the overwhelming feelings were intoxicating. Everything was more intense, brighter, and anything seemed possible. In this brave new world, Killian had found a new goal; to not only have Emma Swan, but to also keep her. He knew he had to tread carefully; he couldn't afford to scare her off. He had to find a way to break her walls down enough, so there was a large enough gap for him to squeeze his way in.

So far his grand plan consisted of a single step - to find a way to make Emma Swan need him. Killian decided that the best way for him to proceed was to make her realise that no man could satisfy her the way that he could. Make her realise that all the man she'd had before had been severely lacking. From now on, he wanted to ensure that he was the only man who would share her bed. That his name would be only one to leave her lips amidst the waves of her ecstasy. He would earn his place in her bed, then a place by her side and finally one in her life.

From his time spent there, Killian had learnt which window lead to Emma's bedroom. His hook rapped against the glass, until his efforts were finally rewarded. The curtains were drawn back and a very befuddled Emma Swan looked at him through sleep filled eyes.

"What the hell?" She asked, her words muffled by the windowpane.

He gave her one of his best smiles. "Open up, darling. I'm not leaving until you do."

She hesitated for a moment, as her sleep riddled brain tried to consider all the angles, but in the end she did as he asked. The second she'd pushed the window open, Killian swiftly slid inside. When he stood back up to his full height, they were only centimetres apart.

"Much obliged, love."

"Why are you here?" She mumbled groggily, as her mind tried to understand what had brought the pirate to her window at such an ungodly hour.

"Because I had to see you," Killian replied, edging a little closer.

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to do this." He leaned forwarded and nipped her bottom lip. He pulled back just far enough to check that he had her full attention. Her lips were parted slightly and her eyes flickered to his lips for a moment, before she looked up to met his gaze. Killian grinned at her as he curled his fingers around her neck.

"Did I wake you from a nice dream?" He asked softly, as his fingertips played with her hair. She nodded slightly and unconsciously moved her face closer to his. "Well I can guarantee that this is going to be a lot better than a dream."

It was her turn to initiate a kiss, and she did so with the usual urgency. She grabbed hold of his jacket and pulled him back towards the bed. But when her knees hit the edge of the mattress, he placed his hand on her shoulder and stopped her from pulling him down. Emma gave him a confused look and tugged harder at his lapels, but he refused to yield.

"Slow down, love," He said with a soft laugh. "There's no need to rush this time."

He cupped her face with his good hand and stooped down to kiss her again. It was leisurely kiss, as if he was trying to emphasise his words. Somewhere in the back of Emma's mind, a small voice warned her that she needed to regain control, because this was heading into dangerous territory. His kiss was too gentle, too affectionate, for this to only be about casual sex. So she kissed him back with a bruising force, her tongue demanding entrance into his mouth, but he resisted her attempts to speed things up again.

In her half conscious state, her mind was unable to figure out how to gain the upper hand. She knew she could just stop him all together, but his talented mouth made it the least desirable option. Instead she decided to just stop thinking all together. She let her eyes close softly, and concentrated on the way Killian's lips felt against hers.

Killian noted how malleable Emma was in her sleepy state; it was the only way to explain why she had relented so easily. He took his time to kiss her thoroughly, before he trailed his lips along her jaw line and slowly down her neck. Killian carefully memorised every spot that made her breath hitch or caused a soft gasp to leave her lips. By the end of the night, he'd planned to have every inch of her body carefully mapped to aid in his future explorations.

He ran his hook and hand along her sides, and was happy to find that there was no troublesome bra to remove this time. Gently, he pushed her back onto the bed and knelt down between her parted knees. As his hook eased her shirt up, he heard her sharp intake of breath and watched her shiver with anticipation.

His lips began their journey across her stomach, gently nipping and licking at her flesh as they went by. He observed the way her muscles tightened at his touch and the places where she wriggled slightly beneath him, as his stubble rubbed against a particularly ticklish spot. He listened to the way she moaned as he kissed the skin at the waistband of her pyjama bottoms and the way she groaned in disappointment when he moved further away from where she wanted his lips the most

"Killian." The way she moaned his name caused him to smirk against her feverish skin.

He looked up at her and saw her looking down at him, her eyes heavy with desire. He swiped the tip of his tongue along her flesh, just to hear how her breath changed and watch her eyelids flutter. He grinned lustfully at her, enjoying every moment that he had her at his mercy.

"How about, darling, you make the demands and I follow them?" He offered and chuckled when her eyes widened in response.

Emma opened her mouth, desperately trying to form a coherent request. The feelings that he managed to stir within her were proving to be quite overwhelming.

"I want you-" she began and then gasped as he bit down on her hip bone. Emma struggle to remember what she was about to say as his teeth playfully teased her soft skin. "I-"

"Mom?"

Emma leapt up at the sound of her son's voice in the corridor. In her haste, she accidentally kneed the pirate in the chest. He grunted in pain; Emma gave him a look that was half an apology and half a warning to keep quiet.

"Mom, are you awake?" Henry asked from outside the room. There was slight waver in his voice, as he tried to disguise the fact that something had clearly upset him.

"I'm up, kid. Just give me a second," Emma reassured him, as she hurried towards the door, wrapping her robe around her as she went. She glanced back over her shoulder and was relieved to find that Killian had disappeared from sight.

She took a moment to compose herself and then opened the door. Henry stood shyly outside, his small smile failing to cover up the worry in his expression.

"Bad dream again?" Emma asked, and wrapped her arms tightly around her son when he nodded. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really," he replied weakly.

"How about I make us some hot chocolate and we watch a movie together? Your choice."

He nodded eagerly at her suggestion and she ruffled his hair. As she watched Henry run downstairs, Emma paused and glance back towards her bedroom.

"Night Killian," she murmured, unsure whether he'd be able to hear her and then headed towards the kitchen.

From his hiding place beside her bed, Killian lay on the cool floor and listened. He heard the clatter of pans from the kitchen as the beverages were prepared. The good natured argument between mother and son about watching something called 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. He grinned when Emma pointed out that she'd had enough of rum guzzling, eye liner wearing pirates to last her a lifetime and that the last thing she needed was to watch Captain Jacket Sparrow prance about. Killian wondered who this Captain was. He had a feeling from Emma's tone that they might get on particularly well.

As music drifted into the room, Killian got up and headed back towards the window.

"Until next time, love," He promised the dark room and sighed heavily, "And if the gods have mercy, we won't have any more bloody interruptions."


	5. The Station

She took a deep breath and strode into the clearing with all the confidence she could muster.

Emma ignored her nerves, along with the anxious gazes of the others who remained within the tree line. Instead she focused on the man before her. His sharp amber eyes inspected her wearily as she moved closer and he let out a low warning growl. Emma had to remind herself that Mr Brenton was still a man, despite everything her eyes were telling her.

He might be old, cranky and a borderline hermit, but Emma liked Mr Brenton. He’d always kept to himself and never caused her much bother. Most of their previous interactions had revolved around his neighbour, who had a habit of playing excessively loud music at unsociable hours, despite numerous threats and fines from the sheriff’s office. The last time she’d been called out there, it had been Christmas Eve. After Emma had done the usual routine of making the neighbour turn the music down and giving him the well rehearsed warning, Mr Brenton had stopped her before she left. He’d held out a mug filled with a steaming hot toddy and insisted that she drink it despite her protests about still being on duty.

“It’s Christmas Eve, girl. You should be with your son and not dealing with that inconsiderate asshole,” he’d grumbled with his trademark scowl on his face. “Just drink the damn thing and go home.”

Until today, Mr Brenton hadn’t caused her or the town any real trouble. But that was before he’d ‘acquired’ a couple of items from Gold and Regina, and had finally managed to change himself back into his pre-curse form. Emma focused on her memories of the harmless, silver-haired man and not the giant, blue-grey scaled dragon that was now staring back at her.

She stopped at a safe distance and made a big show of throwing her sword and gun out of reach. Emma took another deep breath as she tried to conceal her fear.

“Mr Brenton? Hi, it’s me, Sherriff Swan. Please grunt twice if you still know who I am?”  

The beast tilted its head to one side, like it was trying to see what angle she was playing, and then it grunted twice as instructed.

“Good, good. I just want to talk Mr Brenton. That’s all,” she assured him.

Emma gestured apologetically towards the holes in his right wing and the arrow still protruding from his stomach. Her mother had shot that one into him; it had been dipped in a potion that, according to Mr Gold, would prevent Mr Brenton from using his fire breathing abilities.  “I’m really sorry about having to hurt you, but you didn’t leave us with much choice. Honestly, I can’t blame you for wanting to burn down your neighbour’s house. That guy kinda had it coming.”

Mr Brenton made a sound similar to that which an incredibly heavy smoker makes when chuckling. Emma smiled slightly in return, before her expression turned serious again.

“But I draw the line at setting fire to the rest of town and hurting the people who live here. We had to stop you, Mr Brenton, before you killed someone,” she said sadly. The creature groaned pitifully in response. “Here’s the deal. Regina and Gold will turn you back into a human and we’ll find a way for you to make amends for the damage that you’ve done. We’ll also discuss that possibility of you returning to your current dragony-form once you’re back in the enchanted forest. Do you understand?”

Mr Brenton grunted twice. Emma felt herself relax slightly, as she naively assumed that they were heading towards a touching _How To Train Your Dragon_ moment. Then everything went to hell.

Faster than she could comprehend, Mr Brenton shot forward and knocked her off her feet and onto her back. Emma let out a winded gasp, as the weight of his paw sunk into her chest and pinned her to the ground. His talons painfully dug into her flesh and Emma could see three red pools beginning to soak through her shirt. Mr Brenton looked down at her with his wickedly amber eyes; Emma wondered if the regret she saw in them belonged to him or if just of reflection of her own. Slowly, he opened his mouth and his razor sharp teeth descended towards her head.

As Emma literally stared into the jaws of her death, her life failed to flash before her eyes. Nor were any images of her loves one conjured. Her mind was completely blank, except for two words.

‘Oh fuck.’ 

Suddenly, Mr Brenton stilled.  His head whipped around, but it was too late. Even in her stupefied state, Emma managed to roll out of the way as the dragon’s lifeless head crashed to the floor. She looked up to see that his neck had been sliced into three pieces by two blades.

As her father plunged his sword into the beast’s skull, Killian appeared at her side and hurriedly pulled her to her feet. She stared at him in a daze. Despite being in shock, Emma still expected him to make some smartarse remark about how she needed him, but he said nothing. Killian just stared back at her with an unreadable expression. His hand gripped her arm tightly, as if he was petrified about what would happen if he let her go.

They stayed like that for several moments, until Emma was gathered into her father’s embrace and lead away to the hospital.  

xxx

Emma swore loudly as her violently shaking hands made it almost impossible for her to type.

She quickly clenched and unclenched them a couple of times, took a deep breath and tried again. Finally she managed to type the word into the search engine and hit the enter key. It only took Google 0.13 seconds to give her an answer.

According to the first website, Brenton meant ‘ _Bryni’s homestead_ ’ and ‘ _Bryni’_ was an Old English name derived from the word ‘ _bryne_ ’, meaning ‘ _flame’_. In retrospect, the latter piece of information made it a very fitting for Mr Brenton. Emma guessed that his first name probably meant something like ‘ _big scary ass monster that had a particular taste for sheriffs’_.

Emma tried to recall what his first name was but kept coming up blank. She could probably find it written on some document in one of the office’s many filing cabinets or somewhere in the town records, but she realised it didn’t really matter anymore. Emma had liked Mr Brenton and now he was dead. She’d always thought that he’d liked her too; right up until the moment he’d tried to gobbled her whole.

As the plan had been formed to stop Mr Brenton, several of townspeople had renewed the call for creating a database that listed who every inhabitant had been before they’d been transported to Storybrooke. The database had become a divisive topic in the town. On one hand it would be useful to know who or what people were before. On the other hand, some people feared that it would cause prejudice amongst the townsfolk. They argued that it didn’t matter who their enchanted forest counterparts were; what mattered was who people were in Storybrooke and the lives they lived here. Emma was still undecided on the topic, although she admitted it would make her job easier if she knew who beared a grudge against whom, and if that grudge was likely to turn murderous. It would also be handy not to have to Google everyone’s name for cryptic clues about their true identity. Although what the hell a whale had to do with Dr Frankenstein was beyond her. 

The hospital had been an overwhelming experience. She’d barely managed to allow Dr Whale to finish patching her up and give her some fresh clothes, before she’d bolted from the building. She’d told him that she had paperwork to do down at Sherriff’s office. Dr Whale had given her an incredulous look, but had made no effort to stop her.

She paced restlessly back and forth, her mind and body an incoherent mess. Everything, from the thoughts in her head to the twitches in her muscles, seemed to be going at the speed of light. Her jumbled emotions swarmed through her veins, making her want to laugh one moment and break down crying the next. She needed everything to slow down. She needed to focus. She needed to get a grip.

Desperately, she snatched the glass and bottle of whiskey from the top drawer of the filing cabinet - Graham’s favourite hiding place. Her trembling limbs caused the amber liquor to slosh over the side of the glass.

 “Fuck,” She swore bitterly.

“Allow me, lass.”

His hand had closed around the bottle, as she stared at him in confusion. She had no idea how long he’d been there, or even how he’d entered the office and closed the door behind him without her noticing. Emma didn’t protest as Killian tugged the bottle from her hand. His hand grazed hers lightly as he pulled away, and in that moment, Emma realised that it wasn’t the burn of alcohol that she needed.

In a flash, she pushed him up against the filing cabinet and latched her lips onto his in an urgent kiss. She didn’t spare a thought to the bottle that now lay smashed against the floor. She only needed him.

Killian had been through enough life-and-death situations to know exactly what this was; an adrenaline driven, life confirming fuck. He’d shared many of them with Milah, and found plenty of other women to share them with too. Killian knew that this is what Emma needed right now and he was more than happy to oblige her.

The only reason he’d followed her here from the hospital was to assure himself that she was still alive. That she wasn’t going to drop dead at any moment. Killian tried to focus on what Emma needed as he kissed her back with equal fervour and forget his own fears. He tried to let the taste of her, the feel of her, drown out the memory of the dragon stooped over her ready to land the killing blow. He tried to forget how, for a moment, he’d truly believe he’d have to witness another loved one die whilst he stood powerlessly by.

‘ _She’s alive. She’s alive_ ,’ he assured himself, as his fingertips searched for every inch of her skin for proof.

Emma had managed to haphazardly wrench his shirt free, but she was having a harder time undoing the top button on his trousers. She frantically fumbled with it, but it would no yield, no matter how hard she tugged. Killian’s hand closed around her wrists and moved her trembling hands away.

“It’s okay, love,” he told her, his voice full of reassurance. “You’re okay. You’re going to be okay.” He let go of her wrists and clutched her face with his hand, his thumb stroking her cheek soothingly. She watched his Adam’s apple bob in his throat as he swallowed hard. “Let me take care of you.”

She dumbly nodded her assent. Killian leaned forward to press a soft kiss beside her ear, against the spot he had marked as his back in the forest, and lead her toward the desk. Emma let him gently push her into the chair. He pressed a long, hard kiss against her lips before he knelt down between her parted legs and set about unzipping her boots.

It appeared that she’d lost the ability to think or speak, because all Emma was able to do was watch him as the carefully eased the first boot off. Tenderly, he cupped her ankle with his hook as removed her sock as well, before he repeated the actions for a second time. His thumb drew small circles against her right ankle, and she remembered that he’d once mentioned how even the glimpse of a woman’s ankle excited him. She wondered if her ankles had the same effect given the attention he was lavishing on them. Finally, he moved away from her feet and began caress the sides of her legs with his hook and hand. This time the shudder that ran through her body had nothing to do with her shattered nerves.

Killian gently pushed her top out of the way, and began to leisurely kiss her abdomen. With far more skill than she’d shown moments before, he undid her jeans and Emma gasped as she felt his hot breath brush past her covered mound. She gripped the edge of the chair tightly as Killian began to leave a trail of wet kisses along the inside of her left leg, as he inched the denim towards her feet. He took a moment to run his tongue along her ankle, before he tugged her jeans from her body. The look of reverence he gave her took Emma’s breath away. He gave her opposite ankle the same treatment, and then slowly kissed and nipped his way back up the inside of her other leg. As he reached the top of her thigh, Emma bit her lip in anticipation and reminded herself to breath.

 “Emma?”

At the sound of her name, Emma spun quickly in the chair towards direction the voice had come from. Her leg caught the side of Killian’s head as she moved and smacked it into the edge of the desk.

 “Bloody hell woman,” he hissed with pain.

“Shut up and hide,” she hissed back, as she snatched her jeans off the floor.

Killian had only just made it to a hiding spot behind the door, and she’d only just finished buttoning her jeans, when Ruby barged into the office.

“Emma, what the hell are you doing here? Why aren’t you with your family?” The brunette demanded.

“I...erm...just needed to be by myself for a bit. And calm down,” Emma told her lamely.

One of Ruby’s eyebrow rose into a well practised arch. “Why aren’t you wearing any socks or shoes?”

“Being barefoot helps me relax!” She explained unconvincingly, and swiftly put her socks and boots back on.

Ruby opened her mouth to respond, but stopped before she said anything. Emma watched in horror as she saw her friend’s nose twitch slightly, like she had caught a scent.

“So,” Emma said loudly, trying urgently to distract her friend. “I’m done here. We should go meet the others. Where are they? Granny’s?”

The other woman gave her a concerned look as Emma hurriedly ushered her towards the door. “Are you ok? Aside from the whole almost eaten by a dragon thing?”

 “Oh you have no idea-” Emma heard Killian mutter and swiftly interrupted him with a hard kick to door that he was hiding behind.

She wasn’t sure if she felt more relieved or disappointed that she couldn’t hear any groans of pain from the pirate. Ruby looked back in surprise when she heard the loud bang.

 “I also kick things when I need to relax,” Emma remarked brightly. “It’s just what I do.”

Her friend stared at her like she’d grown a second head. In response, Emma plastered a smile on her face and briskly led the way to Granny’s.

Although Ruby didn’t mention anything the whole evening, Emma had a sinking suspicion that the she-wolf knew more than she was letting on. She also had a feeling that Ruby was just waiting for the perfect moment to casually bring it up; probably when Emma had a mouth full of cocoa, ready to spray across the diner floor.


	6. The Bar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that I took so long to update - life inconveniently got in the way. Thank you to everyone who left Kudos, and thanks tigerlily536 for the comments - I'm especially sorry that I kept you waiting. Special thanks to RavenclawPianist for betaing this. Anywho, enjoy!

It was a Friday night and the Rabbit Hole was packed as usual. Even after the curse had been broken, the good folks of Storybrooke still embraced the weekends.

Emma watched as Belle stood on the edge of the crowded bar and studiously examined the drinks menu. She turned to Ruby. "You know, it was kinda cruel of you to make her get the next pitcher."

Ruby gave her nonchalant shrug. "Belle did offer."

"I know, but did you have to suggest that she choose the drink as well?" Emma's gaze flickered between the bar and her almost empty glass. "It's going to take forever for her to pick a cocktail, order it and then finally bring it back. I don't know if I can wait that long."

She looked forlornly at what was left of her drink and silently prayed that the next one wouldn't be too sweet or too fruity. Her companion leaned across the table with a wicked grin on her face.

"How else was I going to get you alone so that we could discuss that fact that you're hooking up with a certain captain?"

"Oh god. There really isn't enough alcohol left for this conversation," Emma groaned. "There's nothing is going on between me and him."

"You can't lie to me, Emma. I know that he was at the station with you after the whole dragon incident. And it definitely didn't smell like nothing was going on between you two."

Emma nose scrunched slightly in disgust. "Your superpower can be pretty gross at times."

"It's both a blessing and a curse," The she-wolf agreed, her brow furrowing as a particularly unpleasant memory popped into her mind. She shook her head and turned her attention back to her friend. "Anyway, stop trying to change the subject and tell me how long the pirate's had you hooked?"

Emma groaned again. "Seriously? How long did you spend thinking up these terrible puns?"

"Longer than I probably should have. And there's more to come," Ruby warned with a sly smile, "Unless you spill."

The sheriff glanced desperately towards the bar, only to discover that her would-be-saviour was standing on her tiptoes, trying to get served. It appears that no one would be coming to her rescue this time. Emma hurriedly downed her drink, hoping that the last of her alcohol would take the edge off.

"We...nothing...nothing has really happened yet," She finished feebly, as she struggled with how to adeptly explain their non-relationship and failed attempts to sleep together.

"Nothing?" Ruby raised an eyebrow. "So you two haven't slept together?" Emma reluctantly nodded. "But you were going to?"

"Yep," Emma muttered bitterly, focusing her gaze on the empty glass that she was playing with between her hands and pointedly avoided her friend's expected gaze.

"Was that the only time?" Ruby asked and her knowing smirk grew at Emma's telling silence. "Oh my god! You and Hook-"

"There's no me and Hook," Emma interjected quickly. "This whole thing was just meant to be about sex - which hasn't happened – and nothing else. And it's probably good thing that it hasn't happened, because any involvement with him is such an insanely bad idea."

Ruby stared at her with wide eyes. "Ok, I believe you. You guys haven't slept together. There's no way you would be this tensed up if you had." Emma glared at her. "I'm just saying – I think you need to get laid."

An almost growl escaped the blonde's lips. "Oh trust me, I've been trying."

"And you two have been interrupted every time?"

"Yep."

"Wow. It sounds like you guys might be cursed."

"Oh, I really think we are," Emma agreed sulkily, clutching her head between her hands, "I mean, who needs the whole town's disapproval about who I choose to sleep with, when the universe is doing such a great job?"

"Speaking of that certain someone that they would disapprove of..."

Emma's head snapped up as Ruby's words trailed off, just in time to see Killian walking by. It was unfair how good the man looked dressed all in black.

"Ladies," He greeted them with a slight nod of the head. His blue-eyed gaze lingered on Emma, until he was distracted by the shouts of his former shipmates. With a cocky grin on his face, he sauntered towards the welcoming men with his arms open wide.

"Well from the way he was looking at you, I'm guessing he's seen you naked."

Emma stared wide eyed and flabbergasted at her friend, as her mind desperately tried to think up an appropriate come back. Fortunately for Emma, Belle decided to reappear at that exact moment.

"I went for the margarita, as I've read that it's a classic cocktail," The librarian told them excitedly. She placed the tray onto the table; on it was aforementioned pitcher of drink, along with three shot glasses, some lime wedges and a salt shaker. "The bartender added some free tequila shots. He insisted that I try the full tequila experience." Belle turned back for a moment to give the bartender a bright smile and grateful wave. He grinned and saluted in return.

Ruby bumped her shoulder eagerly against Emma's and handed her a shot glass. "Let show her how it's done then!"

Ruby licked a small line along the back of her hand and shook some salt on top.

"So it goes salt, shot, lime," She explained to Belle, mining each action in turn.

"Salt, shot, lime - got it!" Belle grinned as she licked her own hand and added the salt, before passing the shaker to Emma.

As Emma prepared the salt on her own hand, she could feel Killian's heated gaze watching her intently. The memory of his rough tongue against her skin suddenly flashed unbidden through her mind; the image burned its way down her spine and straight to her core. She shifted slightly in her seat, praying that her expression didn't reveal her thoughts.

"Cheers," She said, quickly raising her glass towards the other two women.

Together they licked the salt off their hands, down the shots and bit down hard on the lime wedges. Emma shot Belle a look of pity; the girl's expression was painfully grimaced as the alcohol made its way down her throat.

"That was-" Belle coughed, her face still scrunched up in displeasure.

"The margaritas will taste a helluva lot better," Ruby promised as she poured out the drinks. "Trust me."

Belle eyed the drink before her wearily.

"So what were you discussing whilst I was at the bar?" She asked as Emma took a long sip of her drink.

"Emma's inability to complete the horizontal tango," Ruby casually replied.

Emma's mouthful was sprayed across the table as her reflexes intervened to prevent her from choking. She was soon overwhelmed by a violent coughing fit. As Belle helpfully thumped her on the back, Emma managed to catch the edge of her glass with her arm and sent the contents spilling down her dress.

"Seriously?" Emma snapped, as she assessed the state of her dress. She let out a frustrated huff, before storming towards the restroom leaving behind a guilty looking Ruby and a concerned Belle. "I'll be right back."

The second she entered the restroom, Emma grabbed a fist full of hand towels and wetted them under the tap. Irately, she attempted to tackle the spilt alcohol before it could ruin her favourite little black dress.

"You need a hand, darling?"

Emma swiftly looked up and saw Killian watching her in the mirror.

"What do you want?" She asked with a sigh, not in the mood to deal with anyone, let alone him right now.

All she wanted to concentrate on was fixing her outfit and then finding a way to salvage her night. She didn't want to think about the ridiculousness of this, whatever this was between them, and how confused it made her feel whenever she tried to rationally think about it. If she had any sense, she would back away for good before anything too serious happened between them. But every time she was alone with him, all of her sound reasoning seemed to magically vanish from her mind.

"I was wondering if there was something I could do to make your night better?" He offered, as he unhurriedly stepped toward her.

"Listen Hook, I don't have-" He silenced her with a bruising kiss, clearly annoyed that she'd reverted back to using his more infamous title.

"So it's Hook again is it, love?" The captain rasped against her ear and roughly teased her lobe between his teeth. He ran his hand definitely down her side and under the edge of her skirt. "And here was I thinking that we were past all that."

As his weathered fingertips danced along the skin of her thigh, Emma felt the familiar fire burning its way through her body and engulfing any logical thoughts.

"Killian," She moaned as he nipped at her jaw line and she felt his lips curl into a smile.

"There's a good girl."

Killian rewarded her with a feverish kiss and she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, suddenly desperate to feel him close. Emma wasn't sure who did the leading and who was being led, but the pair soon found themselves in the nearest stall. He quickly backed her against the cubical wall and slid the lock into place without breaking the kiss. She gasped against his mouth, as his hand gently caressed her inner thigh.

"We're going to have to be quick," she breathed shakily and reached out to unbutton his trousers. He lightly batted her hands away with his hook.

"Oh no, love. This is all about putting a beautiful smile back on your face," Killian informed her, as he softly ran his knuckles along front of her panties, eliciting another moan from her lips. He gave her a salacious wink. "Besides, I think certain enjoyable activities between us should be properly savoured."

He moved to kiss her again, as his hook curled around her leg and lifted it towards his waist. She wrapped her leg around him and dug her heal into the pirate's back in order to keep her balance. He let out a lustful chuckle as he pushed her underwear to one side and ghosted his fingertips along her folds. Emma knew she was already embarrassingly wet.

"My, my, have you been thinking about me, darling?"

"Don't flatter yourself," she bit back. The snarky edge to her voice was quickly reduced to a wanton gasp as he easily slid one digit into her, followed by another.

She let her forehead drop against his as the sensation of his touch flooded every inch of her body. She'd been waiting for this for far too long.

"And why would I need to do a thing like that, when you're doing such a good job for me?"

Killian didn't wait for a reply; instead he covered her mouth with his and swallowed her moans. He set an almost punishingly slow pace, as his rough thumb slid across her sensitive bundle of nerves in perfect harmony with his fingers. Emma could feel the tension coiling inside of her and becoming increasing unbearable with every stroke.

"Killian," she practically begged his name against his lips.

In response, he sped up the tempo, curling his fingers inside of her until they hit a spot that made her whole body tremble. Emma tried to focus on kissing him, as she unravelled beneath his touch. She was so close.

"Emma?"

Killian fingers stilled instantly at the sound of Belle's sheepish voice.

"Emma? Are you alright?"

Emma took a deep, shaky breath and tried to compose herself, hoping that Belle hadn't notice the extra pair of feet under the door. As Killian began to retract his hand, she barely managed to stop undignified squeak of protest that was forming in her mouth. Although she knew it was the right thing to do given the presence of their unwelcome guest.

"I'm fine, Belle," She replied, and her voice hitching as the smug bastard plunged his fingers back. Instinctively, she slammed her thighs together, trapping his hand.

"Stop it," She mouthed as threateningly as she could and gave him a withering glare. Killian gazed back at her with a look of mock innocence, which was contrasted by the teasing curl of his fingers. Emma yelped slightly in surprise. If she could have risked it, Emma would have hit the lecherous pirate by now.

"Are you sure?" Belle asked, clearly concerned.

"Yeah, yeah I'm sure," Emma answered as calmly as she could. She pushed her legs closer together and tightened her grip on Killian's hand, as he tried to wriggle it free.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your dress," The other woman told her earnestly.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. It's only clothing."

"And you look much better without any of it on," The captain whispered hotly in her ear.

"Behave," she hissed back.

"Now where's the fun in that?"

"And I'm sure that Ruby didn't intend to insult your dancing skills," Belle continued and Killian gave Emma a confused look. The sheriff rolled her eyes at the girl's innocence, equally grateful and astounded that she didn't understand the reference.

"Everything really is ok, Belle."

"Alright," Belle agreed, but there was a reluctant edge to her tone.

"Is there something else?" Emma asked despite herself.

"No, no, I just wanted to make sure you were fine." She replied hurriedly, "As you've been in here a while and Ruby's... well..."

"Ruby's what?"

"Doctor Whale has arrived and Ruby's, well, catching up with him."

Emma sighed sympathetically, knowing how Ruby sometimes forgot everyone else when she started flirting, especially when it with a man she actually liked. "Just go and ask her to teach you to play pool or darts or something – Ruby will get the hint."

"Really?"

"Trust me, Ruby will understand. And I'll be back in a minute," Emma promised.

"Okay. Thanks Emma," Belle said gratefully.

Emma listened closely to her retreating footsteps and the reassuring thud as the door closed behind her.

"Finally," Killian growled, wedging his leg between her own. "Now where were we?"

Emma gasped as his fingers began to move once again. Her mouth sought out his, as he quickly brought her back to the edge. The tension kept building inside of her until she felt like was about to burst. She whimpered his name against Killian lips and her mind went blissfully blank as she finally found the release that she so badly needed.

Emma slumped against the wall for support as the last waves of her orgasm coursed through her body. All of the tension had left her at last; she just enjoyed the sudden feeling of being well and truly spent. She looked up through heavy eyes to see Killian carefully licking his fingers clean. He caught her watching and, with a lustful grin, he leaned forward to give her a long, hard kiss. The taste of herself on his tongue only added to her giddiness.

"You look bloody gorgeous when you come," he told her, his tone a mixture of tenderness and awe. "I knew you would."

Emma stared him for moment, unable to comprehend all the emotions that were playing on his face as he gazed back. She wondered if his feeling towards her were just as conflicted as hers were towards him. When he gently cupped her face, she allowed herself to lean happily into touch. But then she spied his tattoo out of the corner of her eye and remembered exactly why he'd ended up in her life in the first place.

She turned her head away in embarrassment and cursed her own momentary stupidity. Clearly in the afterglow, her pleasure addle brain was seeing things on his face that weren't really there. Emma knew deep down that Killian was only capable of satisfying her physical needs and not her emotional ones. She tried to back away, as she sternly reminded herself that she wasn't dumb enough to confuse the two.

"Look, I should-"

"Hold on, darling. I'm not done with you yet," Killian told her and placed an arm on the wall either side of her body, preventing her from leaving. "When are you next free?"

She sighed, knowing that he wouldn't let her go until he'd got an answer. "Wednesday, why?"

"Come to my boat in the evening about eight?" He asked with a slightly begging tone. She opened her mouth, but he cut her off before she could make an excuse. "Please?" Killian leaned forward until his lips were barely touching hers. Emma wondered if the pirate was aware that his nearness made it hard for her to think straight. "And I can guarantee that we will be able to finish what we started for once."

She shivered slightly at his promise. "Fine, I'll be there."

"Great!" He grinned widely and planted a quick kiss against his favourite spot by her ear. "See you then, Emma, and don't be late."

She watched him hurry from the room as if he was worried that she would change her mind. Emma took her time to right her scrunched up dress and walked slowly towards the sink. She splashed a handful of cool water against her face and tried to collect her thoughts. Whether he meant to or not, Killian really knew how to make things difficult for her. She was already in deeper than she ever intended to be with him and yet she appeared to have no willpower left when it came to the pirate.

'That's only because this has been dragged out for so long,' She told herself firmly, 'Once you've slept with him, that will be that. Killian Jones will no longer be constantly annoying feature in your life, thank god!'

'You know for someone who's excellent at spotting lies,' a treacherous voice injected, 'you're really fond of ignoring the ones you tell yourself.'

Emma tried to wash the thought away with another handful of water. All she wanted right now was another drink, or three, and an uncomplicated end to her night. As she left the bathroom, Emma hoped that Ruby would be too distracted by Whale to notice the soft scent of salt and rum that lingered on her skin. If she saw even a hint of a knowing grin appearing on the she-wolf's face, Emma planned to fake headache and then abandon her friends to spend some quality time with a bottle of whiskey. The one that was faithfully waiting for her at home, ready to welcome her into its nonjudgmental, uncomplicated embrace.


	7. The Catch

Her fingers drummed an uneven rhythm against the wheel of her yellow bug as she watched the clock.

19.57 glowed definitely back at her – three minutes left to go before she was due to meet Killian. The dock appeared completely deserted, which had surprised Emma. She'd expected at least one or two people to still be around as it wasn't that late on a Wednesday evening. Although she guessed that she should be grateful that she wouldn't have to worry about anyone spotting her there or explaining why she'd come to see Hook. But at the same time...

She gripped the steering wheel tightly as she fought the urge to run. Emma couldn't explain why she felt so full of dread right now, but somewhere deep in her mind, she knew that what would happen next was going to change everything whether she intended it to or not. And that thought petrified her. For most of her life, the only change that occurred was for the worst. But that was before Henry had showed up. Before she'd gone to Storybrooke, broke the curse and finally found her family. However, a lifetime spent waiting for everything to go to hell, to fall apart and try to break her again, was a hard instinct to shake.

Emma was certain that Killian had no intention of hurting her or betraying the trust he'd earned, but that meant that he now had the capacity to deliver a devastating blow. How could she trust herself around him when she wasn't sure how she felt about him anymore? How could she trust herself when he'd somehow managed to get closer to her than she had ever intended him too?

19.59 – one minute to go.

'This is just about sex,' she reminded herself firmly. 'This is about satisfying a purely physical need. Once that's done, that'll be the end of this. Just enjoy it – you've waited long enough.'

20.00.

She flipped down the visor and combed her fingers through her hair before she could stop herself. Her face turned upwards in disgust at her actions and she slapped the visor closed. Emma Swan was not some love sick teenager and this was not a date – she was a grown ass, confident woman and this was about getting laid. With that thought ringing in her mind, she got out the car and marched towards Killian's boat.

The moment Emma reached the boat, the glass door slid open and Killian appeared. The briefest look of shock ghosted across his face, as if he hadn't been expected her to show, but it was swiftly replaced by a genuine smile.

"Permission to come aboard, Captain?" The words slipped off her tongue before Emma realised what she'd said. Internally she groaned at using such a cliché, but outwardly she gave Killian a small smile.

"Permission granted, love," He replied with a suggestive wink and Emma suddenly felt at ease. This was the man she knew – all charm and innuendoes, and nothing more complicated than that. Killian extended his good hand to her; she took it without hesitating and let him help her onto the deck.

His grip lingered for a moment and Emma could have sworn that she felt his thumb brush briefly along the back of her hand before he let go.

"Shall we?" He nodded towards the cabin and gestured for Emma to go first.

"Always the gentleman," she quipped as walked past him and step through the open door.

"But of course."

The second the door click shut behind them, Emma backed Killian against the glass and latched onto his lips in a searing kiss. He let out an astonished chuckle as he kissed her back, lazily trailing his hand down her side, but then he pulled back.

"My, someone's keen." He murmured against her lips.

"This is why we're here isn't it?"

He dodged her next kiss with another chuckle and step around the increasingly irked woman.

"Patience darling, the night is still young." He walked toward the helm, and briefly glanced back at her over his shoulder. "Did you see anyone else out there?"

"No."

"Good," Killian said with a mischievous smirk and started the engine.

"Are you kidnapping me? " Emma asked with a perplex laugh, as the boat pulled away from the dock.

"Kidnapping implies that you're unwilling to go," Killian retorted, "I prefer to think of this as rescuing you from that nosy little town, filled with annoying people and their ridiculously bad timing."

Emma gave him an incredulous look and he held up his hook in defence.

"Look, if you want to leave, I will turn this boat around and take you back at any time you want. But I can promise you that out there," he stabbed his hook towards the open waters, "No one is going to interrupt us." He paused for a moment. "Unless there are mermaids of course, which I hope to the gods there are not."

"What do you have against mermaids?" Emma asked him, genuinely intrigued by his obvious aversion.

"It's a very long story, love."

"We've got all night."

He grinned at her. "Aye we do. And we've got provisions too."

Killian pointed towards the kitchen and Emma made her way over. She hadn't noticed the takeaway bag from Granny's when she'd entered, nor the bottle of wine that stood next to it. A bottle she recognised all too well.

"This is my favourite pinot," she stated, giving the pirate a suspicious glare even though his back was turned.

"I know; that's why I got it."

"And how did you know?"

"By being observant," He replied breezily.

"You know, there's a very fine line between being observant and being a stalker," Emma said absentmindedly as she searched through the draws for a bottle opening.

"Well I can ensure you, love, I am the former. My intentions towards you are purely honourable," Killian stated innocently before he flashed a wolfish grin at her.

She snorted in response and continued her search. Finally found what she was looking for, happily opened the bottle up, poured herself a glass and took a greedy swig. "Want one?"

"Please."

She poured a second glass and took it over to him, as Killian slowly brought the boat to a halt.

"Cheers, darling." He took the glass from her and watched her closely as he took a long sip. He lowered his glass and licked his lips in appreciation. "Lovely."

"I didn't know wine was your thing."

"It is when the occasion calls for it," He replied and motioned towards the door. "I best get her anchored – wouldn't want to drift away. Shall we?"

Together they walked back out onto the deck and into the cool night air. The boat rock gently up and down beneath them. As Killian saw to the anchor, Emma walked over the stern of the boat. She rested her arms on the wood and took in the site before her. They were a few miles away from the harbour, but she still had a clear view of Storybrooke. The buildings were illuminated by softly glowing lights, which casted glimmering reflections against the ink black water. Her lips curled into a small smile as took another sip of wine from her glass. It was so quite out here, so calm and Emma felt all the tension from her body wash away.

"Enjoying the view?" Killian asked as he approached her.

Emma rolled her eyes at the question, but she still nodded. "It's just so peaceful. I can see why you like it out here."

Killian laughed softly. "Don't let her deceive you. She can be a tough mistress at times; she 's capable of great destruction and terror, as well as moments of mercy like this."

Emma glanced sideways at him, so she can take in the admiration on his face that matched the tone of his voice. "She's a challenge."

"Too right she is, lass." He grinned at her. "All the best women are."

Something about the sincerity of his words and steadiness of his gaze made her face hot with embarrassment. She directed her gaze back towards the safe direction of the town. He moved closer and she suddenly felt a blanket being placed around her shoulders. Emma turned around to face him, a look of confusion playing on her face. He pulled the material closer around her and then gently pushed her hair back off her face. His hand lingered on her jaw as he watched her with an unreadable expression.

"Wouldn't want you to get cold," he told her softly. Killian nodded back towards the cabin. "I'm going get the food. Enjoy the view."

Emma hesitated as she watched him go, but then she forced the burning question from her mouth before he could leave: "What do you want from me?"

Killian paused in the doorway and cocked his head to one side as he considered the question. After a long moment had passed, he looked back at her.

"I want to ensure that you all your needs are met tonight, love," he finally answered with a nonchalant shrug. "You need to relax. I want you to enjoy this just as much as I will."

With that, he gave her a dazzling smile and walked inside. Emma sighed and took another deep gulp of wine. She didn't know what answer she'd expected when she'd asked the question. Maybe she was just hoping for some clarity; something which would help her to understand both her jumbled emotions and his intentions towards her.

Her body had suddenly tensed when he'd wrapped the blanket around her, as if subconsciously she sensed that this was some sort of trap. Rationally she knew that the situation was shaping up into being more of a date, which definitely was breaking the rules, but she couldn't help but think that Hook had some sort of ulterior motive. That all this was just part of some game he was playing with her and that she hadn't figured out the rules just yet.

She silently cursed herself for her mistrust. He'd given her no reason to doubt his motives. Last time she'd sensed an ultimate betrayal and abandoned him on the top of the beanstalk, he'd found her again and showed her just how wrong she'd been. Now she couldn't imagine him not being a part of her life. She always felt safer with him at her side in a fight. He'd proven to be one her most loyal allies in Storybrooke and she never thought to question where his allegiance lied. She trusted him in most situations, but not now. Because if this turned into something more, something actually meaningful between them, then it would make her vulnerable. And even now, Emma couldn't allow herself to take that chance.

She stared longingly back at Storybrooke, suddenly wishing she could escape to the safety of her own home. As if physical distance from the pirate would make her emotional distance as well.

'He's here for revenge and you're just a distraction. You're just another conquest; another challenge for him to overcome,' she desperately tried to remind herself.

But she knew that wasn't entirely true anymore. Since Killian had learnt that Gold had magic, he hadn't attempted anything untoward towards pawnshop broker. At first he'd spoken about biding his time until he found a way to skin crocodile, but he hadn't mentioned any such plan in a long time now. On the rare occasions that Gold and Hook did cross paths, they merely exchanged false smiles that failed to mask their contempt for each other. Killian had even managed to befriend Belle over their shared love of books – an activity that he preferred over watching the 'bloody noisy, flashy box' as he'd so eloquently christened the TV.

Emma knew that the librarian was incredible wary of the pirate at first, but then the captain had somehow found a way to win her over. When Emma asked what had happened between them in the past, Belle told her that none of that mattered anymore.

"He's not the same man I met back then," she'd insisted, "There's good in his heart now. And I think that's thanks to you."

Emma had been taken aback by Belle's comment and had insisted that she'd had nothing to do with the captain's behaviour. Emma was firm believer that you couldn't change a person; that people could only change if they really wanted to, and even then, it was still a long shot. Although, Emma guessed that Belle's faith in Rumpelstiltskin's ability to reform must have made her an eternal optimist at heart, whilst Emma's past had turned her into an eternal pessimism. She laughed bitterly when she remembered that she was the one who had supposedly saved everyone and yet she still couldn't save herself from her own worst instincts.

"Grubs up, love."

Emma spun around at the sound of Killian's voice. The captain skilfully carried a tray which held two plates of lasagne, his glass and the bottle of wine. He placed the tray down and patted the bench next to the door. "Come on, before it gets cold."

Reluctantly, she walked over and sat down next to the pirate.

They'd begun their meal together in an awkward silence, but as soon as the wine had started to flow the conversation swiftly followed. Emma had become relaxed again without realising it; soon she was laughing at his tales of a life at sea and she no longer flinched whenever their knees bumped against each other's or his elbow grazed against hers. She marvelled at Killian's ability to make her forget why she should be so guarded and instead put her completely at ease. When the food was finally finished, she placed her plate onto the deck and leaned against his side like it was the most natural thing for her to do. Emma didn't resist when Killian wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulled her closer to him and placed a tender kiss on her crown.

The sat like this, in complete silence, and just watched the world go by for while.

"You alright there, love?" Killian finally murmured against her head.

"Yeah, I am," She replied softly.

Emma wondered briefly if this is what being a normal couple felt like, curled up on the couch together at the end of the day. She wondered if they felt this safe, this at home in the presents of the other. Like there was nothing that they couldn't face so long as they did it together. The thought caused her to silently laugh to herself; there was nothing remotely normal about their relationship.

Even though Emma was loathed to break the moment, she could feel the weight of Killian's stare. She turned to face him and saw the look of wonderment back on his face as he watched her. Like he couldn't believe that this was real either.

Slowly, she slipped his wine glass from his hand and set it down. Her eyes never left his as she leaned forward and kissed him. The moment her lips touched his, he curled his fingers into her hair and pulled her close. The kiss was gentle and unhurried; Emma closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his lips caressing hers and the taste of wine that still lingered on his tongue. She shifted, trying to get closer, trying to feel more of his body against her, until she was finally straddling his lap.

He groaned as she settled against him, and pressed his hook against her back to hold her even closer. The kiss was becoming more heated now; their tongues battled for dominance as their hands began to roam. Killian moved lips moved away from hers and began a leisurely decent down the column of her neck.

"I think it's time we moved this inside, darling," He muttered against her flesh.

"Why? There's no one else around," she challenge and grounded down against him. He moaned with need in response.

"Bloody minx," He muttered, as he held her tightly before suddenly standing up. Emma yelp in surprise and wrapped her legs around him to stop herself from falling. The pirate chuckled at her expense and she glared at him. "I'm not planning on taking any chances tonight."

With that, he captured her lips again and carried her inside.

Emma let her lust for the pirate, the need she had to feel him close, engulf her and wash away all other coherent thoughts. She clawed at his clothes, desperate to feel his flesh against hers, whilst still unwilling to break the kiss. Her actions proved enough of a distraction that Killian momentarily stumbled. Emma gasped as her back smacked against the wall as Killian pushed her against it, in attempt to steady them. He unhooked her legs from around his waist and gently eased them to the floor, before he knelt down in front of her.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked breathlessly, as he carelessly yanked her boots from her feet and then hurriedly proceeded to undo her jeans.

"Trying to get you to a suitable state of undress, love," he replied cheerily, as he pulled her jeans and panties towards her feet. With Emma's help, he managed to remove then completely and toss them aside. "You were wearing far too many layers for what I have in mind."

He gave her a wink that should have been illegal before he dipped his head between her thighs. Emma gasped at the sudden contact; the feeling of his hot breath and warm tongue moving against her. She twisted her hand into his hair and pulled at it roughly, desperately trying to stop herself from becoming completely undone. In response, Killian lifted her leg over his shoulder and quickly took advantage of the new angle. He slowly slid two fingers slowly inside her, as his talented mouth continued to nip and lick and completely unravel her. Soon, his name escaped her lips in a sobbing gasp.

Tenderly, he lowered her leg to the ground. He stood up and held her, resting his forehead against her, until Emma finally came down from her dizzying high. The small moment of calm quickly passed and soon their mouths were duelling again, as they stumbled towards the bedroom, shedding their remaining clothes as they went.

Emma backed Killian against the end of the bed and roughly shoved him back. He landed on the mattress with satisfying bump and a low chuckle. She smiled back at him and quickly climbed onto the bed until she was straddling his hips. He unconsciously bucked towards her, desperate to feel her against him, desperate to be inside of her. Emma swiftly rolled back on her heals.

"Oh no. Aren't you forgetting something?" She scolded lightly and gave him a pointed look.

He smirked back at her, stretched backwards to reach under the pillow behind him and pulled out a familiar foil square. He passed it to her with a lustful smile. "I made sure I was prepared."

Emma raised a playful eyebrow as she curled a hand around his shaft, making him moan. She tore the foil with her teeth and rolled the condom on with a well practised hand. Killian sat up and held her close, kissing her hard like it was their last.

"Ready?" She asked breathlessly as they pulled apart.

He let out a low chuckle. "I've been ready for this from the first moment I met you."

Emma made the mistake that moment of looking into his eyes. A collage of emotions danced amongst the blue. Emma felt her heart stop for a moment when she realised that she was still unable to decipher what it all meant; why he kept on looking at her like that. But then his lips started to press against collar bone and neck, and every other inch of skin within his reach, successfully distracting Emma from her previous thoughts. She groaned as his tongue drew a circle around her nipple, before his teeth nipped at the sensitive skin. Unable to wait any longer, Emma pushed him firmly back against the mattresses, positioned herself over him and slowly sunk down.

They both gasped at the sensation and took a moment to revel in the feeling of one another, before Emma began to move. She set a deliberately unhurried pace, wanting to draw out every sensation that they'd waited so long to feel. He met her leisurely thrust for thrust, his hand and hook drifting along her sides. He tried to get closer, but Emma's hands kept him pinned down as she continued to ride him. Killian was powerless to do anything but stare up at her with ardent admiration. Her head lolled, sending her golden curls tumbling down her back, her eyes were closed and her lips parted in pleasure; he'd never seen anything so beautiful in three hundred years.

He snaked his hand between them, so his thumb could seek out her sensitive bud of nerves. She gasped as his rough fingertip skimmed over her clit and began to speed up. He matched her pace until their thrusts became erratic and her walls tightened around him.

"Stay with me, lass," he begged breathlessly, getting closer and closer to the edge with each movement, "Stay with me, Emma."

She could only moan in response, as she curled her fingers around his shoulder and clung to him for dear life. Finally, they came with each other's name on their lips.

Emma crashed listlessly against Killian chest, her body wrecked with pleasure. She lay like this for moment, enjoying the stillness between them and listened closely to his rapidly beating heart. Then she slide away to opposite side of the bed and wrapped herself under the sheets to bask in the afterglow.

The mattress shifted as Killian stood up to sort himself out; Emma absentmindedly heard a metallic click and soft thud as he placed his hook on top of the bedside table. The mattress sagged again as he rejoined her beneath the sheet. Emma felt his arms wrap tightly around her waist as he pulled her flush against his body.

"That was bloody amazing, love," he mumbled, his voice full of awe, as he buried his face into the crook of her neck, "You are bloody amazing, Emma."

Emma felt her whole body stiffen at his words and panic began to seep through her nerves. Suddenly, he was too close for her liking, his embrace was too intimate. His touch was no longer welcome against her skin.

"What are you doing?" She demanded, trying to keep her voice as even as possible.

"I'm just holding you, lass," he chuckled as if it was obvious and placed a tender kiss against her shoulder. She jerked away at the contact. Her heart twisted painfully in her chest; she felt like she couldn't breathe, as if his presence was beginning to suffocate her.

"Well don't." Emma snapped coolly.

His embrace loosened at her words and she took the opportunity to break free. Quickly, she stood up and wrapped the sheet around her body.

"I want to go back now."

Her eyes skittered around the room trying to locate her discharged clothes, whilst doggedly ignoring his wounded expression. Killian stared at her in shock, looking like she'd just crushed his dreams. She spied her bra at the foot of the bed, but before she could retrieve it, his hand wrapped around wrist and pulled her back.

"Emma? What's going on, love?" Killian asked her, his voice sounding completely lost. "Why are you being like this?"

She yanked her arm free and moved away until she felt her back press against the wall, still refusing to look at him. "Nothing's going on. You got what you want – now take me home."

Killian let out a stunned laugh. "You think this is what I want? For you behave like you want me one minute and then act like my touch burns you the next?"

"You said you would take me back any time I wanted," she argued hotly.

"And I will, once you've explained what the hell is going on."

Emma groaned in frustration, silently begging him not to push this. Her feelings were more conflicted than ever, making it hard for her to think straight. He was never meant to make her feel like this. All she was sure of right now was the potent desire to put as much distance between them as possible.

"Why are you being like this?"

"You mean acting as if I care for you?" Killian snapped. "Well, surprise darling, it's because I do."

"This was just meant to be about sex!" She yelled at him, suddenly angry at him for being as inept at keeping his emotion in check as she was.

"I'm sorry, love," he shot back harshly, "But it appears that I'm incapable of giving you my body without giving you my heart too!"

He watched as she slowly slid to the floor, holding her head in her hands. He rose from the bed and cautiously sat down opposite her. It wasn't lost on him how vulnerable she looked even though she had a sheet wrapped tightly around her whilst he sat there naked. He reached out and curled a hand gently around her ankle; she flinched at the contact, but he refused to let go.

"Emma? Look at me? I'm not going anywhere, love, so please look at me?" He sighed heavily when she refused to acquiesce to his soft plea. "Gods, Emma, after everything, why can't you let me in? Who made you so full of distrust?"

She felt his thumb draw soothing circles around the hard bone of her ankle. She wanted to let him in, she want to tell him everything, but the words keep getting painfully stuck in her throat. Even now, her past still had the ability to choke her present. Emma stared pointedly at a single spot on the floor until her eyes blurred from the effort. She took a deep, shaky breath and forced herself to speak.

"His name was Neal."

A heavy silence fell between them, as she struggled to find the right words and he made no attempt to push her. Still he didn't let her go; Emma tried to focus the comforting feeling of his hand wrapped gently around her ankle.

"He was a thief – I was too when I met him. I managed to steal his already stolen car," she laughed mirthlessly at the memory. She could feel Killian's patient gaze on her, wordlessly encouraging her to continue in her own time. "We were together for a while; even talked about settling down, making a home, having kids – stupid things really. And, to make those stupid things a reality, I agreed to collect some stolen watches that he'd stashed so that we could sell them, and in return, he ran off with the money and turned me over to the cops."

She heard his swift intake of breath at the revelation and felt his grip tighten against her skin. Emma wondered if he was feeling more pity for her or anger towards Neal at the moment. Of course, she knew that the best part of the story was yet to come and hurriedly revealed it before she could back out:

"So I went to jail and whilst I was there, I found out I was pregnant. And as convicts don't make the best mothers; I gave my son up for the adoption. And, well, you know what happened after that." She tried to make her voice sound breezy, as if her past didn't bother her anymore, but there was no disguising the bitterness in her tone.

Finally, she tore her eyes away from the floor and looked directly at him. His look was empathetic instead of pitying, with a slight hint of his intention to hurt the man who'd caused her such pain. Killian opened his mouth to speak, but she got there first.

"Tell me about Millah."

Killian was genuinely surprised by her request and he was sure that it showed on his face. All the same, he realised that it was unfair of him to expect her to speak about her past without offering anything in return. His thumb caressed her smooth skin absentmindedly whilst he tried to decide where to begin.

"When I met Milah, she was already married," he started, carefully observing her reaction, "It wasn't a happy marriage; she didn't love her husband anymore and she felt trapped by their situation. Although she did love her son, very much so, but that wasn't enough to stop her wanting to escape from her life. Then we met, fell in love and she begged me to take her away. She believed that she could never be happy again if she stayed and that her husband would always take good care of their boy. So she ran away with me and we were happy. We..." He paused for a moment and swallowed back the pain and bitter anger that always accompanied the next part of the tale.

"Several years went by and then we met her husband again. Except he wasn't her husband anymore, wasn't really a man anymore, and her boy was gone also."

Killian watched as Emma put the pieces together and her eyes widened at the realisation. "Rumpelstiltskin. He was her husband."

He nodded slowly. "He was. And he killed her because she loved me, because she'd chosen me over him. He just ripped out her heart and crushed it into dust as if it was nothing. As if she was nothing. But she was everything to me. The bastard crocodile took my hand too - just for good measure."

He waved his stump humourlessly in the air. Emma watched him closely, observing the agony Gold had caused as if it had all occurred yesterday.

"That's why you want to kill Gold; you want to avenge Milah," she stated quietly.

"Yes, I did. For a very long time," Killian admitted.

His words burned in her ears. "You did?"

"Well, a part of me always will want to kill him and I'll gladly watch him suffer any day, but it wouldn't be at my hand."

"Why?" Emma asked, her voice barely a whisper.

He looked straight at her when he spoke this time, so that she would know that he wasn't lying to her: "Because if I go after him, then I will lose you and I won't let that happened."

Her breath caught at his honesty and she fought the clawing urge to run away. She knew that his feelings towards her were genuine, but a part of her could not accept it. It was the part of her that had sat in a cell, staring at the mocking little pink plus in her hand, and swore that no one would ever get close enough to hurt her again. It was the part of her that didn't believe in true love, or happily-ever-afters, or that she would ever be good enough for someone to stick around for – despite all the evidence to the contrary which had now appeared in her life.

Killian saw the trepidation on her face, but refrained from speaking first, even to offer words of comfort. The future of their relationship was balanced on a knife's edge. If Emma didn't choose to let him in now, then she never would and there would be nothing he could do to change her mind.

"What do you want from me?" Emma finally asked him, all of her vulnerability playing on her face.

"I want you to trust me, Emma," he told her honestly, "I want you to let me in. But even if you don't love, I'm not going anywhere. I will be there when you need me to have your back or fight at your side, but I can't do this anymore." His hand slipped away from her ankle, so he could gesture at his naked form and her barely covered one. "All I want from you Emma is a chance; just let me in and I swear that I will spend every day proving to you that you haven't made a mistake."

As he finished speaking, Killian held out his hand and offered it to her, just as he'd done back on the beanstalk. Her eyes flickered between his out stretched hand and his face. She recognised the mixture of emotions playing on his features; he'd looked at her the same way in the giant's castle, right before she'd clamped the handcuff around his wrist. But this time, Emma knew that she couldn't abandon him again.

The second her hand took his, Killian pulled them both to their feet and wrapped her tightly in her embrace.

"Thank you," he whispered and planted a kiss onto of her head. He pulled back so he could look at her properly, grinning at her like a Cheshire cat and tenderly cupping her face. "Thank you."

She grinned widely back and kissed him hard, determined that this wouldn't be a mistake. That history would not repeat itself with Killian. They remained like that for a while; lips pressed together, holding each other close.

After what felt like a lifetime, and mere seconds all at once, Killian pulled away.

"Come on, love," he said, tugging her back towards the bed, "Let's get some sleep, eh?"

xxx

As Emma ran a hand through her damp curls, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She looked up, so she could take a closer inspection. The damn grin was still plastered across her face. No matter how hard she tried to tone it down or mask it under a scowl, the second a thought of the pirate flittered through her mind, the grin appeared again. If she didn't find a way to get it under control before they got back to Storybrooke, then the cat would be out the bag before she could blink.

Normally, it wasn't hard for Emma to disguise her emotions when she put her mind to it. But she can't remember the last time when she'd woke feeling so happy; so peaceful and so safe, wrapped tightly in Killian's embrace. Not to mention, so satisfied. The memories of last night, and this morning, brought a different smile to her face, but it was nonetheless revealing.

Emma shook her head, but still she couldn't free herself from the smile. And she definitely didn't want to free herself from the cause of it. She walked towards the helm, where Killian stood proudly before the wheel. His dark hair was still tousled and damp from his earlier shower, and his upper half was distractingly shirtless. Emma leant against the wall and took her time to appreciate the way his muscles in his arms and back tensed and relaxed, as he expertly steered the boat back to the harbour.

"You need to stop looking at me like that, love," he warned softly, not bothering to back, "Otherwise, I'll be forced to turn this boat back around and I don't give a damn if the search party your parents will send out finds you in my bed."

Emma chuckled and pushed away from the wall to collect the shirt she'd helped him discard last night. She chucked it at his head. "You better put this back on then."

"I am I really that much of a distraction for you, Swan?" He asked teasingly, as she walked towards him.

She rolled her eye at him. "Just put the damn shirt on – I'm not going to help inflate you already sizable ego."

"Well it does go with my other sizable-"

Emma cut the last of the sentence off with a playful slap to his shoulder. Killian laughed, as he swiftly grabbed her wrist and pulled her in front of him.

"Hold this for a minute, love," He murmured against her ear and placed her hand onto of the wheel, so he could put on the shirt.

"I've never steered a ship before," she commented absentmindedly.

"Well it looks like you're natural, darling," he praised as wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and pressed a kiss beside her ear, "I told you that you would make one heck of a pirate." Slowly, he unwound his arms and placed his hand gently on top of hers. "How about we bring her back to port together?"

She leaned contently against his chest and together they brought the boat back into its place on the docks. Killian landed a quick peck on the side of her crown, before he headed toward the door. "I'll make sure the coast is clear whilst I secure the moorings."

"Are are you sure you're okay with this?" Emma asked hesitantly, bringing Killian to a standstill. He turned back around to face her, with an eyebrow quizzically raised. "Just keeping this between just us for now?"

He grinned. "Swan, as much as I would love to shout about this from the bloody rooftops, as long as I know there's an us, then I don't care who knows and who doesn't."

"Thank you," She said softly, smiling back at him.

"Besides, I'd rather wait a little while longer until I have to deal with your parents' reaction. I wonder if your father will manage to punch me before or after your mother shoots me."

Emma laughed. "Well I'm pretty sure that Henry will be on your side."

"Aye, that's because the lad's got good taste. Just like his mother." Killian winked at her before he ducked outside.

"Why hello, dearie. You took your time coming back." Emma froze as the familiar greeting drifted in from outside. She felt suddenly torn between her desire to run to Killian's aid and the equally strong one not to be found out by Gold of all people.

"What the bloody hell do you want?" Hook snapped back, his anger barely contained.

"Nothing from you, gutter rat. I was hoping to have a word with Miss Swan. You don't know where she happens to be now, do you?" The smugness in Mr Gold's tone made it perfectly clear that his question was purely rhetorical.

"She's not here."

"Now, now, there's really no point in lying. I'm not here to waste my time on you. However, if she does not come out soon, I might just start." Rumpelstiltskin threatened darkly, as he struck the violently against the side of the boat. With a frustrated sigh, Emma yanked on her jacket and strode onto the deck until she'd reached Killian's side.

"What do you want, Gold?" She demanded, glaring down at Rumpelstiltskin, whilst he stood triumphantly on the dock.

"I really must say, Miss Swan, I am very disappointed. I thought you had more sense." He chastised her, shaking his head towards the pirate. Killian snarled in response. Emma quickly placed a gently hand on his arm, stopping the captain from taking further action.

"And I really must say that I don't give a damn what you think, so get to the point," she shot back through gritted teeth, "What do you want?"

The Dark One gave her a trademark smile; the one that was twisted with spiteful glee. "You owe me a favour, Miss Swan. One that I'm ready to collect."

She felt Killian stiffen under her grasp. Emma wasn't sure where her near future was now heading, but she knew one thing for sure. She wouldn't be facing it alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I really hope all of you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I have got a squeal in the works, but I won't be able to write it until I have a bit more time on my hands. Thank you for all the comments and Kudos - they have been greatly appreciated.


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